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China's building materials
industry will have a firmer foundation in the next five years
because of the country's rapid economic growth.
So says Zeng Xuemin of the State Administration of Building
Materials Industry.
Traditional materials such as cement and glass will grow at
a slow pace, while new building materials and non-metallic materials
will grow rapidly in the 10th Five-Year Plan period (2001-2005),
said Zeng, deputy director of planning and development.
"China's gross domestic product will maintain a higher
growth rate in the next five years. The fixed asset investment
will grow at a rate in double figures," Zeng said.
That will create more demand for building materials.
"The country's construction industry will also grow at
a rapid pace," he said.
China is expected to build 1.8 billion square meters of housing
annually in the next five years.
The State's decision to develop its western areas also creates
demand for building materials, because one of the key aims is
to speed up infrastructure construction.
"The building materials industry will have to improve its
product mix and rely on technical upgrading to achieve a sustainable
development," Zeng said.
China will support the development of the cement industry which
uses the new dry method in the next five years, raising the
ratio of this kind of cement production to 20 percent of the
total.
The country will also give key support to the development of
new wall materials, Zeng said.
China will use these to replace the clay bricks in its 160 large
and medium cities in three years, he said.
Zhang Renwei, head of the State Administration of Building Material
Industry, said China was lagging behind developed countries
and could do better.
"China will beef up cooperation with foreign countries
to develop its building materials industry," he said.
Overseas funds will be mainly used to produce new building materials
and equipment to make those materials, he said.
But overseas firms will have to strictly abide by Chinese laws
and rules governing investment.
All overseas-funded projects must meet international environmental
protection standards.
Overseas funds will also be used for the production of cement,
glass and ceramics, Zhang said.
China is encouraging the construction of large cement projects
and technology upgrading in small cement plants, he said.
In the production of ceramic toilets, the focus will be on improving
their quality.
(China Daily 07/17/2000)
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