Beijing's 10th five-year plan, though still a draft outline after more than a year's preparation, made its debut yesterday at a standing committee session of the local legislator, the Beijing Municipal People's Congress (BMPC).

According to the draft, by 2005 the city should have become a "garden-like" city.

Air pollution has already reduced considerably. Soon, nearly half of Beijing will be wrapped up in green leaves and colorful blossoms thanks to 100 scenic parks and environmentally friendly industrial estates.

The shabby old houses which occupy much of downtown Beijing will be replaced with trendy and well-planned residential squares and commercial districts.

An expanded tube network, brand new urban trains and improved wide-reaching roads will make for a fast and convenient urban transport system.

With some 1 million new posts arising, the registered unemployment rate of the city's permanent population should not exceed 2 percent.

The city's gross domestic product will be double that of this year in 2005, reaching 370 billion yuan (US$44.9 billion) calculated on present prices.

Meanwhile, Beijingers will have much more money in their pockets, whether they live downtown or in the suburbs. In fact, per capita annual disposable income is expected to climb at an average yearly rate of 6 per cent in the next five years.

People will enjoy more spacious housing, on average 18 square meters per person, and "about half of the city's children of the right age, with city resident cards, will have the chance to go to college."

The draft will be submitted for an official discussion during the legislative body's fourth panel session expected next February.

(China Daily 12/07/2000)