1. Project Summary and Relationship to China's Agenda 21 This project seeks to make plans for the industrial layout and urban development of the regions along the New Euro-Asia Continental Bridge (China Section) to improve the infrastructure, promote the construction and protection of ecological environment, eradicate regional poverty, ensure the unimpeded transportation of the Continental Bridge (China Section) and promote sustainable development in these regions. This project is based on programme area 6A of China's Agenda 21, and is related to programme areas 6D, 6E, 8A, 12A, 12E, 14C, 16A, 16C and 19A.
2. Background The New Euro-Asia Continental Bridge is the comprehensive international passageway which starts from China's eastern sea ports of Lianyungang, Rizhao, etc., across continental china, going to Kazakhstan through Altai Pass, via central and western Asia or Russia and ends at the sea ports of Western Europe. It includes railways, high-grade highways, optical-fibre cables, air lines, oil pipes, etc.. With the rapid rising of Asia and Pacific economy, the speeding-up of regionalisation, globalisation and integration of world economy, the voice of strengthening cooperation and exchanges between the European and Asian countries becomes louder and louder. On 1-2 March 1996, the Asia and Europe Summit Meeting was held successfully in Thailand; on April 26, the Heads of States from China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kirghiztan and Tajikstan signed in Shanghai, China, the Decision on Strengthening Trust in the Border Military Regions, which created favourable political environment for promoting Euro-Asian cooperation and the smooth operation of Continental Bridge; at the '96 Beijing International Symposium on the Economic Development of the Regions Along the New Euro-Asia Continental Bridge held from May 7-9, 1996, representatives reached consensus on developing and utilising the Continental Bridge and promoting the economic and trade cooperation and sustainable development of the regions along the Continental Bridge. Many international economic organisations paid great attention to this and have expressed their willingness to support the development and construction in this area. Forty percent of the Continental Bridge is situated within China's territory. It runs across ten provinces and autonomous regions of China, i.e. Jiangsu, Shandong, Anhui, Henan, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai and Xinjiang. The regions along the Continental Bridge have abundant resources and great development potentiality, but most part of the area is less developed, esp. the western and central part. Owning to the fragile ecological environment, backward transportation, communication facilities, many regions remain in a poor and backward state, some of the areas have already got into the vicious cycle of economic impoverishment, ecological degradation and environmental pollution. This project aims at carrying out research, formulating strategic plan of resource exploitation, environmental protection, infrastructure construction, and promoting sustainable development. With the shifting of the focus of regional development strategy to the west of the country during the ìNinth Five-Year Plan" period, the implementation of the project is essential for reducing the disparities between eastern, central and western part of China and promoting the co-ordinated economic development of the whole country. In the ìNinth Five-Year Plan of National Economic and Social Development and the Long-term Targets for the Year 2010", the New Euro-Asia Continental Bridge Economic zone, together with the South Eastern Coastal Economic zones and the Yangtze River Economic Zone, has been listed as the key national economic belts of construction and development. Since 1990, relatively systematic investigation of the resources, environment and economy along the continental bridge has been conducted by the State Planning Commission, State Science & Technology Commission and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. A comprehensive remote sensing investigation of an area of 4,131 km long, 200 km wide in China was entrusted by the State Planning Commission to the concerned remote sensing institutions. The preliminary assessment of resources and environment was also conducted. Major plan for city and town development and layout in the Longhai-Lanxin area was finished and submitted to the central government of China in December of 1993 by the State Planning Commission, the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Civil Affairs. To promote the development of the regions along the Continental Bridge, the Project Development Office of the New Euro-Asia Continental Bridge was established in early 1995 by the State Planning Commission, the State Science and Technology Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation. China Development Promotion Council for New Euro-Asia Continental Bridge was founded in May 1995 by the State Planning Commission, the State Science and Technology Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, governments of ten provinces and autonomous regions along the Continental Bridge, departments concerned of the State Council and major cities. As to the construction of physical environment, Lanzhou-to-Xingjiang double-tracking railways, Houyue railway, Baozhong railway have been constructed, expansion and transformation of sea ports concerned and the laying of Euro-Asia Optical Cable (China Section) were completed, the construction of Lianyungang-Xuzhou double-tracking railways and Lianyungang-Huerguos (Xinjiang) high-grade highway is accelerated. Rizhao-Xiían double-tracking railways and Rizhao-Heze highway have also been listed in the Ninth Five-Year Plan. All of these have created favourable conditions for the implementation of the project.
3. Objectives 3.1 Long-term Objective To promote the opening-up, development and international cooperation of the regions along the New Euro-Asia Continental Bridge, make clear the orientation and layout of industrial and urban development and the emphases of infrastructure construction, propose measures for poverty eradication and environmental treatment so as to achieve sustainable development. 3.2 Immediate Objectives * To formulate a plan for international cooperation in the fields of sustainable development and related specific plans; * To carry out strategic studies on the four implementation areas in the China Section of the New Continental Bridge, and establish a geographic information system (GIS) and a database for social and economic development of the four areas; * To formulate the industrial layout of the region along the Bridge (China Section) and urban development plan for Lianyungang and Rizhao city, the bridgeheads of the East.
4. Outputs and Activities 4.1 Research on the Master Plan of social, economic and environmental sustainable development for the areas along the New Euro-Asia Continental Bridge (China Section). * To research on the economic cooperation, industrial policy formulation, optimisation and adjustment of industrial structure, transportation volume and chief flow direction of lot cargo and foreign trade commodities of the regions along the Continental Bridge; * To study the impact of exploitation of energy, building materials, agricultural products, non-ferrous metals, etc. and the application of new technology on the local economic development and environment; * To set up the Ecological Fund and Ecological Trust and Investment Corporation of Continental Bridge to promote the development and protection of water resources in the semi-arid and arid zones and the protection of the environment and the construction of ecological project; * To formulate the plan and implementing scheme for the eradication of poverty in the regions along the New Euro-Asia Continental Bridge. Monitoring Indicators: planning reports, implementation plans, and ecological demonstration project. Implementing Agencies: the State Planning Commission, the State Science & Technology Commission, Chinese Academy of Sciences, governments of the provinces, autonomous regions, prefectures and cities along the Continental Bridge. Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 1998 4.2 Research on major problems in science and management * To research on the utilisation of water resources; * In most of the regions along the Bridge, water is the major constraining factor for economic development. Therefore it is necessary to investigate the volume and the distribution characteristics of water resources, raise the rate of water utilisation, and to develop water-saving industry and agriculture; * To study the prevention and control of desertification; * In the desert area in the western part of China section of the Bridge, there are abundant solar, heat and mineral resources, and there is a potential for exploiting water resources. Therefore, technology suitable for exploiting and utilising desert resources along with dissemination of technology in preventing and controlling desertification should be developed. A desert and desertification information system for the area will be established; * To research on complementary schemes between countries along the Continental Bridge and in China in the fields of environmental management, economy, trade, science and technology, research on co-ordinated actions as well as intensified management and policy and legal framework. Monitoring Indicators: task reports, research papers, laws and regulations Implementing Agencies: the State Planning Commission, the State Science & Technology Commission, National Environmental Protection Agency, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 1998 4.3 Establishment of an information system for sustainable development along the China section of the Continental Bridge * To collect data on society, economy, natural resources, energy and environment of the regions along the Continental Bridge; * To conduct comprehensive analyses of and modelling research on the economic, social and environmental development; * To establish a resource and environment database and a geographic information system; * To establish an information network of sustainable development with a vast amount of information and broad applicability in the regions along the Continental Bridge. Monitoring Indicators: establishment of database, mathematical models, and information system. Implementing Agencies: the State Planning Commission, the State Science & Technology Commission, Chines Academy of Sciences. Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 1998 4.4 Development Plan of the four implementation areas along the New Euro-Asia Continental Bridge (China Section) * To formulate a development and layout plan for Lianyungang-Xuzhou heavy industrial belt, Rizhao-Xiían industry grouping belt, Zhengzhou Commerce & Trade Zone, Xiían High-tech industry development zone, Xinjiang comprehensive economic zone, Hexi Corridor agricultural and metallurgical base; * To scheme the strategic plan of Eastern Bridgeheads of New Euro-Asia Continental Bridge, i.e. Lianyungang and Rizhao and their radiation areas to construct the two ports into international port-city group with perfect functions; * To formulate the development plan of the area between Urumqi and Altai Pass and its neighbouring area; * To design and make plan for the Continental Bridge Special Economic Zone and China Kazakhstan Border Free Economic Zone. Monitoring Indicator: planning scheme Implementing Agencies: the State Planning Commission and local governments Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 1998 4.5 Overall plan of the comprehensive transportation network of the New Euro-Asia Continental Bridge (China Section) * To complete the transformation of the Longhai Lanxin double-tracking railways and construction of Lianyungang-Huerguos expressway and accelerate the implementation of Rizhao-Xiían double-tracking railway design; * To complete the design of Lianyungang, Rizhao container wharves storage and other supporting facilities; * To finish feasibility study of transformation or expansion of Lianyungang, Zhengzhou, Xiían, Lanzhou, Urumqi airports; * To construct Lianyungang-Altai Pass, Rizhao-Xiían International trade and transportation dynamic monitoring system demonstration project. Monitoring Indicators: design plan, research paper, demonstration project Implementing Agencies: the State Planning Commission, the State Science and Technology Commission, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Railways, etc.. Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 1998
5. Inputs 5.1 Chinese Inputs Chinese inputs will be used for the travel expenses of project staff, improvement of office conditions, purchasing scientific research apparatus, equipment and materials, inviting experts, personnel training, constructing demonstration project, management and operation of project, etc.. 5.2 International Inputs International inputs will be used for purchasing apparatus and equipment needed, importing advanced technologies in resource exploitation, environmental protection, clean production, etc. from abroad, and engineering projects, conducting personnel training and inviting foreign experts. 5.3 Budget The total capital needed for this project is US$ 60 million, of which US$ 25 million will be raised domestically and US$ 35 million will be mobilised internationally.
Table 1. Budget by Item ( in million US dollars)
Table 2. Budget by Output ( in million US dollars)
6. Benefits After implementation of this project, the China Section of the New Euro-Asia Continental Bridge will become an unimpeded and smooth international passageway, which will contribute to promoting the flow of commerce and trade and economic prosperity of the regions along the Continental Bridge, improving the ecological environment in the western area of China and eradicating poverty. The direct beneficiaries of this project will be the people of the regions along the Continental Bridge and the investing parties will also gain relatively high returns.
7. Risks Inadequate capital, backward education and lack of talents and technology are the main unfavourable factors for the implementation of the project. To overcome these difficulties, it is necessary to adopt various forms of investment such as Sino-foreign cooperation, joint stock, BOT etc., to strengthen education and talent training and to import foreign advanced technologies and equipment to ensure the smooth implementation of the project. Text Browser Utilities: |Back| |ACCA21 Home| | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||