Mineral reserves in around 20 percent of mining cities in China are
almost exhausted, sparking job loss fears and an intensive search
for alternative investment.
But civic leaders in 400 towns dependent on mineral wealth could
lessen the impact of depleted reserves by developing high-tech
industries that guarantee prosperity, a senior Chinese official
said at the weekend.
Li
Xueyong, vice-minister of science and technology, described the
problems as "pressing and demanding."
"But we cannot be vexatious because transforming industry is a
strategic choice," Li said.
Restructuring mining cities and creating new jobs for laid-off
miners are priorities of central and local governments.
Officials should think both "globally and locally" during the
transformation process, said Li.
"We should consider local strengths and weaknesses, while taking
into account the global situation," said Li.
Li
made the remarks at a project negotiation ceremony over the weekend
to turn Fuxin of
northeast China's Liaoning Province -- a coal city with a 100-year
mining history -- into a modern agricultural hub of the region.
Fuxin was chosen as a pilot city by the State Council for the
transformation of mining cities where reserves are close to
exhaustion.
The local government decided to create jobs in the agricultural
sector for tens of thousands of coal miners.
The city is currently shutting down most of its mines.
The process involves nearly 400,000 coal miners and their families,
constituting 50 percent of the city's population.
A
total of 100,000 miners lost their jobs last year when three large
mines were shut down in Fuxin.
The number of the unemployed in the city stands at 199,800 with
95,300 people living close to the poverty line.
"We will spare no efforts in cultivating new industry to absorb the
large number of laid-off workers," said Fuxin Mayor Yao
Zhiping.
Yao said the city will make the development of a modern agriculture
industry and related tertiary industry priorities over the next
decade.
About 100,000 laid-off miners are expected to find jobs in the
agriculture sector within the next five years.
"The city is endowed with rich fertile land, and the development of
the agriculture industry does not require much initial investment
or a lot of technological or specialized know-how," said Cao Yuan,
vice-mayor of Fuxin.
Cao said they will focus on the development of animal husbandry and
the planting and processing of flowers, mushrooms and
vegetables.
The city will encourage leading agricultural enterprises, research
institutions and laid-off workers to work together to promote
agricultural industrialization and a related market.
(China Daily December 23, 2002)