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More public say in 'green' decisions
Source: Xinhua |
November 14, 2012, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
FROM illegal land appropriation to labor disputes and growing environmental protests, the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) has been prompted to address public woes.
"Whenever we make a decision involving the immediate interests of the people, we must solicit their views on it. We must not do anything that may harm the interests of the people and must correct any action that causes damage to their interests," Hu Jintao said in a report to the 18th CPC National Congress last Thursday.
However, Hu's words did not fill Zhang Shiyou, a farmer in a small town beside the Yangtze River in east China's Anhui Province, with relief. "Yes, we want the right to participate in decision making. But it is not that easy," Zhang said.
In 2011, he led his fellow villagers onto the streets to protest against the nearby Anhui Zhongyuan Chemical Industrial Co Ltd plant, which they said poisoned fish, destroyed crops and made drinking water unsafe.
Eventually, the villagers, with the help of journalists and non-governmental environmental groups, pushed the local government to order relocation of the plant and earmark funds to clean up the environment.
"Nevertheless, we are worried about the hidden dangers -we do not know how many other projects threatening the environment are still operating near us or will be located near us," Zhang said. "We are eager for the right to be informed."
Environmental damage
After more than 30 years of rapid development, China has become the second-largest economy in the world - but at the cost of resources and environmental damage.
The expansive growth pattern and the fast pace of urbanization over the past decades have led to shortages of resources, environmental degradation and even worse, an increasing number of "mass incidents."
In 2012, three violent protests against the construction of chemical projects near residential compounds broke out in the southwestern city of Shifang, as well as eastern cities of Qidong and Ningbo.
All of the projects were eventually scrapped and the public seemed to "win."
However, experts warned that authorities must seek a systematic solution to ease public fears about environmental pollution and distrust about the government. Otherwise, similar protests will happen again.
"China cannot develop in an all-around way without the chemical industry, but public health must be ensured at the same time," said Liu Zhibiao, president of the Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Social Sciences.
"People from all walks of life and various non-governmental organizations, especially specialized groups, should be given the chance to participate in the government's decision making process," he said.
Beautiful China
In addition to pledging more say for the public in the authorities' decision making, the Party has decided to solve the environmental problem.
In last Thursday's report, Hu Jintao emphasized the importance of ecological progress and advocated building a "beautiful China."
"To build a beautiful China and a harmonious China, the Party must strike a balance between public appeals and economic development," said Wang Dong, a delegate to the Party congress and board chairman of the Gansu Provincial Dayu Water Conservation Group.
"Whenever we make a decision involving the immediate interests of the people, we must solicit their views on it. We must not do anything that may harm the interests of the people and must correct any action that causes damage to their interests," Hu Jintao said in a report to the 18th CPC National Congress last Thursday.
However, Hu's words did not fill Zhang Shiyou, a farmer in a small town beside the Yangtze River in east China's Anhui Province, with relief. "Yes, we want the right to participate in decision making. But it is not that easy," Zhang said.
In 2011, he led his fellow villagers onto the streets to protest against the nearby Anhui Zhongyuan Chemical Industrial Co Ltd plant, which they said poisoned fish, destroyed crops and made drinking water unsafe.
Eventually, the villagers, with the help of journalists and non-governmental environmental groups, pushed the local government to order relocation of the plant and earmark funds to clean up the environment.
"Nevertheless, we are worried about the hidden dangers -we do not know how many other projects threatening the environment are still operating near us or will be located near us," Zhang said. "We are eager for the right to be informed."
Environmental damage
After more than 30 years of rapid development, China has become the second-largest economy in the world - but at the cost of resources and environmental damage.
The expansive growth pattern and the fast pace of urbanization over the past decades have led to shortages of resources, environmental degradation and even worse, an increasing number of "mass incidents."
In 2012, three violent protests against the construction of chemical projects near residential compounds broke out in the southwestern city of Shifang, as well as eastern cities of Qidong and Ningbo.
All of the projects were eventually scrapped and the public seemed to "win."
However, experts warned that authorities must seek a systematic solution to ease public fears about environmental pollution and distrust about the government. Otherwise, similar protests will happen again.
"China cannot develop in an all-around way without the chemical industry, but public health must be ensured at the same time," said Liu Zhibiao, president of the Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Social Sciences.
"People from all walks of life and various non-governmental organizations, especially specialized groups, should be given the chance to participate in the government's decision making process," he said.
Beautiful China
In addition to pledging more say for the public in the authorities' decision making, the Party has decided to solve the environmental problem.
In last Thursday's report, Hu Jintao emphasized the importance of ecological progress and advocated building a "beautiful China."
"To build a beautiful China and a harmonious China, the Party must strike a balance between public appeals and economic development," said Wang Dong, a delegate to the Party congress and board chairman of the Gansu Provincial Dayu Water Conservation Group.
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