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Dongying sets to balance economy and environment
By Zhang Ying (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-03-10 08:18 The conundrum facing the local government of Dongying is one that typifies the dilemma now facing many modern Chinese cities - how do you manage a rapidly growing local economy and at the same time protect the environment? This issue is a particularly telling one for Dongying, a prefecture level city in China's eastern Shandong Province. Set at the delta of the Yellow River - sometimes referred to as the "cradle of Chinese civilization" - the area around Dongying is one of great environmental importance. However, the area is also home to one of China's largest oilfields and is also one of the largest tire manufacturing centers on the planet.
The "developing eco-economy in the delta" has been listed as part of China's national strategy for both the 10th and the 11th Five-Year-Plan periods. The Shandong provincial government also regards the delta project as the key component in its accelerated development strategy for the Yellow River Delta eco-economy. Zhang Jianhua, the mayor of Dongying city and a representative of the 11th National People's Congress, said: "Thanks to its unique advantages, abundant natural resources and sound economic foundation, the Yellow River delta zone has huge potential. "Since 2006, the local government has been looking to accelerate development in the area by investing in the rapid expansion of the 'eco-economic' zone. Our major priority has been to balance a sustainable development of the area's infrastructure with a considered approach to environmental management." As an indication of how seriously the local government takes its responsibilities, last year it rejected 35 projects purely on environmental grounds. This stems from its commitment to block the sources of any potential new pollutants in the area. As well as new initiatives, existing facilities are now obliged to comply with rigorous pollution controls. Last year, more than 150 facilities, identified as sources of industrial pollution, were closed down under a crackdown by the local government. The benefits of this stringent policy are now said to be clearly apparent to the increasing number of visitors to the area. Despite its environmental concerns, the city has been keen to support a number of other new initiatives in the area. This has included developing four key industrial zones and its high-profile commitment to a massive expansion of the city's industrial port zone, being carried out in association with the China National Offshore Oil Corporation. A project to develop the 22 billion yuan Datang power plant has also been agreed. Dongying's eco-tourist area has been listed among China's foremost tourist attractions whilst the opening phases of its state-of-the-art fishing facilities boasts an area of some 28,000 sq km. The fishing zone is part of the city's 1.7 billion yuan Water City development. To maximize the uptake of Dongying as both a tourist and a business destination, the local government is committed to developing an integrated transport system which will see the creation of an 8 billion yuan transport hub, allowing ease of transfer between road, rail, sea and air links. The area's soaring popularity as a tourist destination has been largely ascribed to its renewed commitment to green policies. One of the most visible signs of this strategy has been the city's policy of afforestation, which has seen new trees planted by the sides of its roads, waterways and throughout its villages and thoroughfares. In total, the local government is planning to sponsor the planting of some 35.3 million trees across the urban area, at a cost of some 2.2 billion yuan over a five-year period. Zhang said: "We are making great efforts to develop highly thought of eco-tourist attractions and leisure resorts. We are aiming to highlight the undoubted appeal of the Yellow River estuary and developing ecotourism programs that combine sightseeing and leisure." (China Daily 03/10/2009 page22) |
