Shanxi, China's biggest coal mining province, might get a little greener as
its governer wants to shift its industry center from pure coal production.
"Shanxi will not increase coal production in next five years," said Governor
Yu Youjun, when explaining the ambitious blueprint his provincial
government is endeavoring for to the domestic Internet journalists invited
to help promote the province's image.
during the country's 11th Five-Year-Plan (2006-2010)," Yu said. "The
environment is not able to sustain more production, and we need to maintain a
coal price favorable to my province."
The governor's words might not be good news for China's increasing thirst for
energy, but he has the future safety of Shanxi in mind. There has been excessive
mining inside the province to keep up with China's exploding growth, which has
caused many casualties and has severely harmed the local environment.
Yu said the province spent four months last year closing 4,876 small mines,
most of which were illegal. He said he hopes to close 1,300 to 1,400 more legal
but inefficient mines this year.
Shanxi's coalmines have sharply shrunk from about 9,000 to 3,000 in one year.
However, Yu said he believes this is not the end of the road for Shanxi's
industrial future.
"Seventy per cent of China's chemical products are produced from crude oil",
Yu said. "So, I see the big opportunities for coal chemistry, which have already
been able to provide most of what the oil can.
"In addition, the coal chemistry is more environment-friendly and could
operate at a relatively low cost, since the international oil price remains
strong," a confident Yu said.
Another aspect Yu is proud of and determined to utilize is Shanxi's abundant
tourist resources. Shanxi tops all Chinese provinces in remaining ancient
buildings, while neighboring Shaanxi Province has biggest underground treasures.
"Most of Shanxi's tourist resorts are not fully industrialized," Yu said.
