| Abstract: | Reviewing some important German scientists who have developed climatic regionalizationschemes either on a global or Chinese scale, their various definitions of the tropical climatecharacteristics in China are discussed and compared with Huang Bingwei's climate classificationscheme and the identification of the tropical climate therein. It can be seen that, due to differentmethodological approaches of the climatic regionalization schemes, the definitions of the tropics varyand hence also their spatial distribution in China. However, it is found that the tropical climate typeoccupies only a peripheral part of southern China, though it firmly represents a distinctive type ofclimate that is subsequently associated with a great economic importance for China. As such, thetropical climate type was mostly identified with its agro-climatological significance, that is by givingfavourable growing conditions all-year round for perennial crops with a great heat demand. Tropicalclimate is, hence, conventionally regarded to be govemed by all-year round summer conditions "wherewinter never comes". |
