The economy of Hangzhou has developed consistently and rapidly. Its general economic strength is one of the top ten in China and its GDP is No.2 among the provincial capitals in China. In 1998, the GDP of Hangzhou was 113.5 billion. Computed according to comparable prices, it had a growth of 11.2 percent, compared with the previous year. GDP per capita reached 18.6 thousand yuan, which was more than $2,200, according to the exchange rate of that year. Sustaining the continuous development of national economy, Hangzhou also develops the third industry vigorously. In 1998, the increase of the third industry was 27.5 percent of that of Zhejiang Province, 0.8 percent higher than the previous year in the proportion in the industry structure, and the proportion of employees in the third industry was 2.5 percent higher than that of the previous year.