Beijing is to raise the curtain of environment protection with five major municipal projects to be launched to usher in the new century and strive to achieve the goals it has set on environment quality in 2002. The goals set this year are as follows:

A 50% or more of days with second-level or less air pollution to be had; environment quality to be obviously raised during winter heating days; ground-water quality standards and requirements for a quality amount of industrial discharges to be met in city proper in 2001.

Granule pollution control decides the quality of environment protection in Beijing. In 2001, an additional amount of more than 500 million cubic meters of natural gas supply is to be developed, over three million square meters of new heating areas will be enlarged, and clean fuel is to be used by 1500 boilers still relying on coal supply. Vehicles' fuel quality will have to be guaranteed as it endangers Beijing's environment. Meanwhile, an inspection office is to be put in charge to bring floating dust pollution into control in Beijing.

In 2001, Beijing will further through a restructuring of industrial production have polluting emissions under control and a marked cut of these in their totality. The first-phase project will be for a removal of 29 enterprises out of the city proper and put a complete curb to all possible polluting sources in suburban districts of the city.

Still, Beijing lays special stress on ecological environment construction when putting pollution under control. Its sewage treatment is to be at a rate of 45% to a level of 500,000-ton sewage recovery by its Gaobeidian Sewage Treatment Plant and garbage at a rate of 85%.

Beijing knows fully well the significance of doing a good job in environment production and ecological construction. It goes without say these as have been said above will be totally put into effect by rule of law and wide publicity work throughout Beijing and as is demanded by its Green Olympic Plan, a new clean Beijing is to be built in the near future.

(People's Daily 02/15/01)