Chengdu

So here is one of the places I'm going.

From Wiki
Culture and folklore
The Sichuan cuisine is famous for being very spicy, but in fact only slightly more than 30% of dishes officially labeled "local" rely on chili pepper. The reputation for hot food is, however, much older than the use of peppers, which became common only in the 17-18th century. Chengdu's cuisine is considered to be one of China's most outstanding. The many local specialties include Grandma Chen's Bean Curd (Mapo doufu), Chengdu Hot pot, and Carrying Pole Noodles (Dan Dan Noodles). An article by the Los Angeles Times (2006) called Chengdu "China's party city". Chengdu outnumbers Shanghai in the number of tea houses and bars despite having less than half the population. The inhabitants have a reputation both within Sichuan and in China at large for having a laid back attitude and for knowing how to enjoy life.

Economy
Chengdu is home to several key industries and markets in China that are both significant for domestic and international markets. First, Sichuan Province and the Chengdu region have long been the capital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). This combined with recent intrigue into pharmaceuticals has launched Chengdu into one of the major pharmaceutical R&D centers in China, as well as the leading R&D region in Western China. Similarly, Chengdu’s Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone has attracted a variety of multinationals (Intel and Microsoft), as well as domestic powerhouses such as Lenovo.

Financial Industry
Chengdu is now building itself to be the financial hub for West China and has successfully attracted major international financial institutions, including Citigroup, HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank, United Overseas Bank (Singapore). Overseas Chinese Banking Corporation (Singapore), ABN AMRO, Bank of East Asia, BNP Paribas etc. Historically, Chengdu has marked its name in the history of financial innovation. The world’s first ever paper currency 'Jiao Zi' was seen in Chengdu in the year 1023, during the Song Dynasty of Ancient China. Now, Chengdu is not only the gateway of West China for foreign financial institutions, but also a booming town for Chinese domestic financial firms. The Chinese monetary authority, People's Bank of China (China’s central bank), set its southwest China headquarters in Chengdu City. In addition, almost all domestic banks and securities brokerage firms located their regional headquarters or branches in Chengdu. At the same time, the local financial firms of Chengdu are strengthening their presences nationally, notably, West China Securities, GuoJin Securities and Chengdu Commercial Bank. Moreover, on top of banks and brokerage firms, the flourish of local economy lured more and more financial service firms to the city to capitalize on the economic growth. KPMG opened this first west China office in Chengdu City this October, and before the inauguration of KPMG Chengdu office, its rival, Ernst & Young, had already integrated Chengdu into its global operation for several years.

Defense Industry
Located within the city limits is the Chengdu Aircraft Company which produces the recently declassified J-10 Fighter. The company is one of the major manufacturers of Chinese Military aviation technology.