Environment Improving in Major Chinese CitiesImprovements have been made in China's environmental protection efforts for pollution control and environment infrastructure construction in major Chinese cities, according a report released by the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) Monday.Compared with 1999, polluting particles in the air dropped from 239 micrograms per cubic meter to 223 micrograms on a daily basis in the 46 major cities in the year 2000. Other indexes, such as the quality of drinking water sources and surface water in urban areas, as well as automobile emission, also improved considerably, says the report. Among the 46 cities, Haikou, Qingdao, Shantou, Zhuhai, Yantai, Xiamen, Shenzhen, Dalian, Ningbo, Hangzhou, and Suzhou reported the best air quality records, while the cities of Nantong, Chongqing, Lanzhou, Taiyuan and Urumqi lagged far behind. SEPA Deputy Director Wang Xinfang contributed the progress to enhanced government efforts in environmental protection, such as increased input in infrastructure construction. In Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province in south China, the city government invested a total of more than 60 billion yuan in the past five years to build environment-friendly facilities, while maintaining a 13.6-percent economic growth rate on an annual basis. |
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