'Green development' plan sees progress, positive early results

In the 1970s, extensive industrial development models in Jilin left the province in Northeast China heavily polluted. Today, the local government believes that the environment is the province's most valuable treasure with the greatest development potential.

In the past five years, it has been improving its environmental protection system and optimizing its industrial structure. The concept of green development has been integrated into the entire process of socioeconomic development.

White cranes fly over Zhenlai county, which has become an important habitat for them during their migration. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The government has issued a series of policies and guidelines to cut back on overcapacity, deal with pollution and seek new sources of economic growth. Their focuses include farmland improvement, crop recycling, energy conservation, measures to address heavy air pollution and environmental monitoring systems.

It has integrated administrative, economic and legal methods and combined the efforts of multiple authorities to optimize energy structures, promoting the use of clean energy to replace traditional energy sources such as coal.

Public transportation, new energy vehicles and industrialization of energy conservation techniques are being encouraged.

In 2014, the Jilin government launched a three-year environmental treatment plan targeting sources of pollution.

In the east of the province, the plan called for improving Changbai Mountains' foliage and forest coverage rate in townships and villages. In the central areas, it highlights land protection and promotion of protective farming techniques. On April 1, 2014, with the last shipment of its wood turned over to the State Treasury, the natural forests of the Changbai Mountain Forest Industry halted logging.

Visitors enjoy a garden in the Changbai Mountains. [Photo provided to China Daily]

In 2015, more than 3,800 white cranes arrived at the Momoge wetland during their migration, and Japanese white storks were found in the Xianghai wetland. Those areas in western Jilin had previously been saline and alkaline land and the birds had not been seen for years.

A system to protect against smog implemented in the provincial, city and county levels was completed last year, and the air quality has seen considerable improvement since. Days with air quality rated as good or excellent accounted for 82 percent of the year.

In the same year, the Jilin government shut down 3,542 highly-polluting small boilers in the province and banned about 133,000 vehicles that failed to meet exhaust emissions standards.

Foreigners and Chinese locals celebrate the 2015 Changbai Mountain Forest Music Festival. [Hu Tingting/For China Daily]

The provincial capital Changchun was honored with the title of National Forest City in September 2016, with more than 30 percent of its land covered by forest. Each resident enjoys 41.76 square meters of planting area in parks on average.

The improving environment has helped the growth of tourism. During the Spring Festival holidays in February, Jilin welcomed 10.68 million tourists, increasing 20 percent year-on-year. They generated revenue of 9.7 billion yuan ($1.43 billion), up 28 percent.

zhangzhao@chinadaily.com.cn