Northeast endeavors to revive a green industrial base

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, March 15, 2004

Northeast endeavors to revive a green industrial base

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China's northeast should build "recycling" or "ecology-friendly" economies, said the heads of environmental watchdogs of the northeastern provinces at the just-concluded annual session of the National People's Congress.

China's northeast, including Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces, was once the "cradle for China's industrialization". It produces two fifths of China's oil, one quarter of its automobiles and one eighth of the country's steel.

However, its resources were becoming strained and the environment heavily polluted after 40 years of exploitation.

Liaoning, the most industrialized of the three provinces, has started to pursue a "recycling" economy, one that demands clean production, recycles waste and effectively utilizes resources.

According to Du Qiugen, head of the Liaoning environmental protection bureau, 350 out of the total 600 large State-owned-enterprises (SOE) have cleaned their production processes.

An Gang, one of China's biggest steel-makers, recycled 91 percent of its water and emits almost no waste residue.

Jilin and Heilongjiang, which own more natural resources than Liaoning, chose to build "ecology-friendly" economies.

Heilongjiang is developing its ecology-friendly agriculture, stock breeding and tourism industries, according to Li Weixiang, head of the provincial environmental protection bureau.

Similarly, Jinlin is establishing bases for ecological agriculture, herb and biological pharmacy, and hi-tech industries,according to Wang Liying, head of Jilin's environmental protection bureau.

The northeast has to find substitute industries for a new industrial structure, according to Li and Wang.

However, new industries are not always the best options, especially when they may bring new pollution.

A 2003 law on the environment assessment of projects greatly helps the watchdogs to combat new pollution.

According to the law, an environmental protection department could veto any project if it believes the project will pollute the environment.

"That helps, but pressure of local governments is still there when a polluting project could offer jobs. However, what the northeast needs is a development at the lowest environmental cost.It's a hard choice with a clear answer, " said Wang.

Source:Xinhua

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