Focus on smart, eco-friendly growth

Changchun, a northeastern city rising out of the cold soil in Jilin province, is accelerating the pace of its environmental development by building Changchun New Area.

Children living in Changchun New Area enjoy a happy moment with a mother. The area is not only a top investment destination, but also a comfortable residential community. Provided to China Daily

Following the call of the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20), the city aims to accelerate its transformation from an industrial town into a modern environmental smart city.

Even though it is built on the frozen soil, Changchun bears the title "city of spring" in Northeast China.

Literally meaning "long-lasting spring", Changchun is a monsoon-prone city with four distinct seasons, with winter usually lasting for five months.

Changchun has also long been regarded as China’s City of Automobiles or China’s Detroit, because of its large industrial bases, focusing on automotive production.

But now the city is chasing after another name, that of an eco-friendly city with a combination of greener urban design, a low-carbon lifestyle and well preserved natural resources in its newlyplanned area.

Jilin needs to push its ecological civilization strengthen counter measures against pollution, promote clean energy and expand its green land, said President Xi Jinping during a recent trip to Jilin.

The goal is to make the sky bluer, the land greener and the water cleaner, to create a better environment, he added.