Time Zone |
Asia/Shanghai |
Standard Time GMT / UTC |
UTC+8 |
Daylight Saving Time |
Daylight saving time is not observed in the current region. |
Time Zone |
Africa/Niamey |
Standard Time GMT / UTC |
UTC+1 |
Daylight Saving Time |
Daylight saving time is not observed in the current region. |
Liaocheng, located in the west of Shandong Province, at the junction of Hebei, Shandong and Henan provinces, is an important node city in the Central Plains Economic Zone. Because of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal passing through the city, the Ming and Qing Dynasties for the canal famous merchant port, "south of Suzhou and Hangzhou, north of Linzhang" reputation (Linqing and Zhangjiakou). Nowadays, the city is widely known as the "Water City in the North of the Yangtze River", with the intertwining of Dongchang Lake, the Old Canal, and the Tuhui River, forming a unique landscape of "city in water and water in the city". Guangyue Tower in the city was built during the Ming Dynasty, a unique example of Song and Yuan pavilion-style architecture; Shan-Shaan Guild Hall is a living fossil of the Qing Dynasty canal trade culture, with exquisite brick carvings and wood carvings. Liaocheng is also one of the important birthplaces of Confucius and Mencius culture, which has given birth to humanistic stories such as Wuxun's schooling and Ji Xianlin. Developed modern agriculture, Liaocheng Guanxian duck pear, Xinxian vegetables and other national reputation, is to ecological culture and tourism, green manufacturing as an engine, continue to write a new chapter of the canal era.
Diffa, the capital of the Diffa region in southeastern Niger, is located on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert and shares a border with Nigeria, making it one of the most important border cities in Niger. The city is located in the lower Niger River basin around the climate of the tropical desert climate, hot and dry throughout the year, the average annual precipitation is less than 300 millimeters. The economy is based on agriculture and animal husbandry, and the surrounding areas are rich in millet, sorghum and livestock. Diffa, as a regional trade center, undertakes the function of cross-border trade with neighboring countries, such as Nigeria, and is especially famous for the trade of livestock, agricultural products and handicrafts. The city is culturally diverse, with Hausa, Tuareg and Kanuri ethnic groups living in the area, and is unique in its crafts such as traditional leather weaving and silversmithing. Despite infrastructural challenges, Diffa remains an important economic and cultural node in the south-east of the Niger, thanks to its strategic location and rich cultural heritage.