Project Lifts Border EconomyCo-operation among government ministries and donations from various sources for a development project along China's borders has benefited local residents.The project, "Prosper the Borders to Enrich Local People," was initialized by the State Ethnic Affairs Commission (SEAC) in February with full support from the State Council. It is aimed at lifting the economic development levels of China's 135 border cities and counties within 10 years by increasing infrastructure investment and promoting a group of profitable programmes. However, according to Mou Benli, vice-minister of the SEAC, only 40 million yuan (US$4.8 million) can be freely used by the commission each year, far from enough to meet the demands of the project. So far, more than 400 million yuan (US$48 million) has been invested in the project, with 30 million yuan (US$3.6 million) coming from SEAC. Nineteen counties and cities have been selected as State or provincial-level exemplary sites, which are eligible for certain investments from the SEAC and their provincial governments during implementation of the project. In Liaoning Province's Kuandian County, a State-level exemplary site along the border with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), 58 million yuan (US$7 million) has been invested by SEAC, Ministry of Water Resources, and the provincial government. Mou said his commission will try to help border regions strive for better policies and investments from the central government. Corporate, private and foreign investments will be pooled in the project, Mou and local officials said. Cui Shouguo, vice-mayor of Jilin Province's Longjing City, said if private sectors would like to invest in city road construction, he can assure returns on investments within 10 years. Yangpao, a suburban town in Jilin Province's Hunchun, a port city between China, Russia and the DPRK, constructed a road with SEAC investments, local government funds, and villagers' personal donations to facilitate sales of local produce. Cui Mingzhe, leader of the town, said his town leased out the exploitation rights of several hills belonging to it to collect necessary money to build the road. "The deal is profitable, because we get imperative money while those who exploit the hills are required to plant trees and protect them," Cui said. Besides, Sui Qingjiang, Party secretary of Hunchun, said that to rank his city as an exemplary site of the SEAC project will increase its ability to attract investment. The SEAC project also expects a warm reaction from foreign investors. Kim Tai-bum, a businessman from the Republic of Korea and general manager of Hunchun-based Jilin Sangbangwool Textile Co Ltd, said if the project could bring favourable policies to border regions his company would like to increase its investments there. |
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