The Chinese government plans to set up compensate schemes for
cities that used to rely heavily on exploration and processing of
natural resources, an executive meeting of the State Council said
on Wednesday.
The plan is among a package of moves to be taken by the cabinet
to achieve the sustainable development of such cities, which used
to supply resources for the booming Chinese economy.
Statistics showed that by the end of 2006, there were 118 such
resource-based cities across the country, with 63 mainly exploring
coal like Datong in the coal-rich Shanxi Province, nine exploiting
oil like Daqing in northeastern Heilongjiang Province, and 20
engaged in metallurgical engineering like Dongchuan in southern
Yunnan Province.
These cities currently suffer from multiple problems like
pollution and ecological damage as well as unemployment and
poverty, said the meeting presided over by Premier Wen Jiabao.
The meeting said enterprises are to take responsibility for
environmental protection.
It also called for a boost in the reform of resource prices,
adding that environment-related expenses and investment in safety
facilities should be included in the cost of resource products.
The meeting pointed out more advanced technologies were needed
to overhaul the traditional industries.
It said the central government would allocate more funds out of
the treasury bonds and the central budget to develop substitute
industries to promote a shift away from dependence on
resources.
The Chinese government also vowed to step up environmental
supervision and make more efforts to improve the environment and
preserve the areas.
Environmental assessments would be carried out before building
new mines and production would be banned in such mines where
exploration may lead to serious ecological damage along with huge
economic losses, according to the meeting.
New exploration techniques and equipments and clean energy
technologies would also be promoted.
The meeting said the government will also endeavor to promote
vocational training and create more job opportunities in these
areas, as massive layoffs occurred when some cities began to run
out of resources, making it even more difficult for a new labor
force to find jobs.
(Xinhua News Agency November 29, 2007)