1、1Towards a Greener,Cleaner LiaochengLIAOCHENG in western Shan-dong Province is a famed cityof history and culture datingback over 2,5oo years,and it isalso an emerging industrial city,boast-ing economic dynamism and modernappeal.Eight counties and districts andone economic development zone comeunder
2、 the citys jurisdiction.It coversan area of 8,715 square kilometers andis home to six million people. Since reform and opening-up,andin particular since Liaoeheng was madea prefecture-level city in local govern-ment realignment 13 years ago,its eco-nomic strength has grown on averageby 15 percent an
3、nually.Its economicdevelopment mode features power,non-ferrous metals,automobile,machineryand equipment,papermaking,pharma-ceuticals,foodstuffs,and chemical andtextile industries as the mainstays,rep-resenting nearly 6o percent of the totaleconomy.However,the economic struc-ture based on traditional
4、 industries hasposed serious challenges to Liaoehengseco-environment,becoming a massiveobstacle to sustainable development.The CPC Liaoeheng municipal com-mittee and the municipal governmentreached the sobering recognition 2thatLiaoehengs current and future devel-opment would require energetic ad-dr
5、essing of major issues such as theunbalanced economic structure,dispro-portionate dependence on heavy andchemical industries,inefficient energyuse,emission reduction targets and en-vironmental protection. Liaocheng has deliberated over eco-nomic development and environmentalprotection in a holistic
6、way,seeking anapproach that ensures the harmonlouscoexistence of scientific developmentand coordinated progress.Followingthe new requirements for the construc-tion of an ecological civilization pro-posed at the 17th National Congress ofthe CPC,the Liaoeheng municipal Partycommittee and the municipal
7、 govern-ment responded energetically to thenew proposal.The citys developmentgoals were fixed on “making new stridesin construction speed for a more eco-friendly city.“ In October 2008,threelevels of Liaoehengs local government(city,counties and townships) partici-pated in a work conference.It clear
8、lyproposed implanting the eeo-eivilizationconcept,developing the eeo-eeonomy,optimizing the eeo-environment andnurturing eeo-eulture. In light of this mission,Liaoehengsdevelopment approach adheres firmly tothe concept that “the eco-environmentis 3borrowed from our children and ourchildrens children
9、,not inherited fromour forebears.“ With its eyes set on thedouble wins of economic developmentand eco-protection,Liaoeheng is mov-ing step by step,onwards and upwardsyear by year,achieving positive resultsalong the road. By the end of 2010 Liaoeheng Cityhad successfully accomplished all theobjective
10、s and tasks set in the 11th Five-year Plan for Economic and Social De-velopment.It achieved a GDP of RMB160.651 billion in 2010,up 13.1 percentover 2009,and 2.33 times the 2005 fig- ure,representing an annual growth of15 percent.In 2010 Liaoehengs localfiscal revenue reached RMB 7.05 billion,an incr
11、ease of 27.3 percent over 20o9,and 2.7 times the 2oo5 figure,with anannual growth of 21.7 percent.Over thesame period,Liaoeheng overfulfilled theemission reduction target set in the 11thFive-year Plan,propelling the city frombottom position in Shandong Prov-ince to an above-average level.In the2o08
12、and 2oo9 natibnal comprehensiveenvironmental supervision and quan-titative assessment of cities,LiaoehengCity topped the list of prefecture-levelcities in Shandong Province (excludingthose nominated as national model cit-ies for environmental protection).InJuly 2009,Liaoeheng City,representingShando
13、ng Province,was inspected 4aspart of the national monitoring of waterpollution control and treatment in theHalhe River valley.Its excellent score of94.4 took it to the top of the list of sevenprovinces,municipalities (includingBeijing and Tianjin) and autonomousregions.In October 2010,LiaoehengCity
14、passed the final acceptance cheekfor national model city in environmentalprotection organized by the Ministry ofEnvironmental Protection.It is the firstcity to pass the acceptance cheek sincethe establishment of the ministry thatlaunched a much stricter assessmentregime for national model city status.
