China to spend big on pollution battle

SHANGHAI - The Chinese government will spend more than 3 trillion yuan ($489.3 billion) to enhance air and water pollution prevention and treatment, environmental officials told an environmental protection industry forum on Sunday.

An airborne pollution prevention and control action plan, which will be released soon, will be backed by 1.7 trillion yuan in investment from the central government, according to Wang Tao, an official with the pollution prevention department under the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP).

Wang added that an estimated 2 trillion yuan will be put in to enhance monitoring of drinking water sources and control poisonous contaminants as was required by a water pollution prevention and control action plan in formulation.

In addition, the MEP is drafting a national standard for surface water quality, according to Zhao Yingmin, director-general of the MEP's science, technology and standards department.

Zhao said the draft is expected to be released to consult public opinion within the year and be issued in 2014.

Following the country's increasing efforts in curbing pollution, the domestic environmental protection industry is booming.

The output value of the energy conservation and environmental protection industry during the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011-2015) is expected to exceed 10 trillion yuan, a more than 40 percent increase compared to the 11th Five-Year Plan period (2006-2010), according to Wang.