Now, the small town is enjoying an economic boom. Statistics show that the total output value of local companies reached 2.92 billion yuan (US$365 million) in 2005, surging 123 per cent from 2001.

The town's great change does not result from magic, but was sparked by the construction of the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan city group.

Muyun Town is on the axis of the city group, with five highways linking to urban areas of Changsha and three roads to Zhuzhou and Xiangtan.

The strategic location put the town in the spotlight when the Changsha municipal government decided to give it a priority to develop the city's east and south areas, seeking to forge close ties with neighbouring economies.

"The advance of the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan city group offers us an ideal opportunity for development," said Yang Zhongwen, secretary of the town's committee of the Communist Party of China.

A number of investors have been attracted to the town, bringing enormous business opportunities.

Especially in the Muyun Industrial Park, more than 90 investors have established facilities, including three Fortune Global companies.

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