Xi’an mayor pledges a more liveable city
Print Edition
THE city of Xi’an is fighting “urban diseases” on its way to becoming a modern metropolis, its mayor said on Sunday.
Shangguan Jiqing said it had fallen victim to environmental pollution, traffic congestion and a shortage of public resources, among other “diseases.”
“It is the duty of the government to make the city more liveable,” he told a meeting during the ongoing sessions in Beijing, pledging that all policies for the next few years would be “livelihood-oriented.”
Xi’an, capital of northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, was once a key hub on the ancient Silk Road and known as Chang’an before the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), it now serves as a center for scientific research, aerospace industries and higher education.
Its work list for this year covers a wide range of issues, from lifting 10,000 households out of poverty to building new kindergartens and establishing online sharing systems for universities.
Its five-year work plan says air quality standards must be met at least 290 days a year.
In 2013, Xi’an had 138 days of clean air. In 2014, that rose to 211, while last year it went up to 251, signaling gradual improvement.
“We want citizens to live a quality life,” the mayor said.
Meanwhile, Xi’an is striving to become an international metropolis, he said.
It has become a major hub for regional trade, infrastructure networks and cultural exchanges since the nation came up with the Belt and Road Initiative two years ago, he said.
By the end of this year, new flight routes linking Xi’an with Melbourne, San Francisco and Dubai will be ready, 1,000 skilled foreigners will have been brought in, and a new port of entry for daily supplies including food will have been built for the convenience of its residents.
Businesses, NGOs and schools have been urged to connect and cooperate with counterparts in Belt and Road countries, and entrepreneurship has also been encouraged.
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