Government to invest $12.7b to revitalize schools and housing

The Kunshan government will invest 81 billion yuan ($12.7 billion) in infrastructure, schools and environmental improvement, according to the city's publicity department.

Shen Xiaoming, deputy mayor of Kunshan, said an intercity rail express will be constructed between downtown Suzhou and Kunshan.

"It will connect the city with Suzhou more closely, and help Kunshan maintain its role as an important industrial and commercial city," said Shen.

The rail express, 71.3 kilometers long, will start from the Suzhou high-tech district and end in the Kunshan Huaqiao station of Shanghai's subway line 11. It will take 40 minutes from downtown Kunshan to downtown Suzhou and about the same time from Kunshan to the town of Anting in Shanghai.

Zhou Jichun, director of the city's Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau, said 63 million yuan will be allocated to improve the water quality in the city's urban area. A sewage disposal system will also be established in rural areas within three years.

The city, long dubbed "a land of fish and rice south of the Yangtze River", has more than 24 percent of its total area, or 931 square kilometers, covered in water.

Among the city's three biggest draws for tourists - the water town of Zhouzhuang, Yangcheng Lake's hairy crabs and world intangible cultural heritage Kunqu Opera - two are closely connected with water.

"More than 80 percent of the sewage in rural areas will be treated once the system is finished," said Zhou. "About 17,500 families living in rural areas will benefit from it."

Shen said 3.6 billion yuan will be invested in establishing medial centers and schools for migrant workers and their children.

"We will construct and renovate 23 elementary and high schools," said Shen. "At least 14 kindergartens will be constructed to accept about 2,970 children. An extra 12,900 students will be admitted to elementary and high schools."

Administrating three national-level open economic zones, two provincial-level development zones and eight towns, Kunshan has a permanent resident population of 1.66 million and a large number of migrant workers. By 2014, its total population reached about 2.55 million.

"By the end of 2020, we'll have improved the living conditions for about 30,000 families by renovating dilapidated buildings and old communities," Shen said. "We want to solve the problems for our residents and make them confident in the city. We'll keep our promises."

Contact the writers at zhoufurong@chinadaily.com.cn and cangwei@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 11/23/2015 page22)