REGIONAL> Top regional news
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REGIONAL> Top regional news
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On-line interview of Liaoyang mayor Tang Zhiguo
 By Wu Yong and Guo Song (China Daily Liaoning Office)
Updated: 2009-03-05 19:43 Q: Due to the financial crisis, employment becomes an inevitable topic for this year’s “two sessions.” What measures Liaoyang will take to promote employment, including college graduates and families of no income? A: Employment is an important part of the government’s task, a problem worries me the most. The industrial restructuring might leave some people jobless while some companies might reduce their staff for the lack of market demand. Migrant workers may come back home earlier, in addition to the annually increasing job hunters. Thus, the pressure of employment in 2009 is heavier than before. We will take several measures. First, we set up several goals of different levels and put employment on the top list of our responsibilities. Second, increase job opportunities by encouraging people start their own business. A number of bases have been set up. College graduates willing to start their own business will be assigned one or two rooms for production. As soon as their products are considered as mature, they can apply to the bank for a loan and support the business. Finally, to increase investment. Including booming the real estate industry as I mentioned just now, we will create more job opportunities via increasing investment. Moreover, promote employment by developing labor-intensive industry. We attach equal importance to profitable programs, hi-tech programs and labor-intensive programs because labor-intensive industry contributes to the employment, though it dose not help much in the growth of the local government’s fiscal revenue. Q: Let’s go back to the financial crisis. Facing the crisis, what will Liaoyang do to boost the oil and chemical industries as a city enjoying advantages in these aspects? A: Constructing a fine chemical industry district is an important goal for our city since the industry is our specialty and where we enjoy advantages. What kind of industry fits the situation of Liaoyang? The chief goal is to concentrate on constructing a chemical industry base of large scale and high technology standards. The base will be divided into three centralized areas. One is the base of the aromatic hydrocarbon production around the Liaoyang branch of PetroChina Oil Company Ltd., which I told you just now. The second one is the extension of the old city called Hedong new town, which is under construction now. In the new town, the real estate industry will be supported by manufacturing industries, instead of being developed independently. The third one is an integrated industry district in Dengta, a subordinate city to Liaoyang. This district is mainly devoted to the production of natural fatty alcohol which is the raw material of chemic necessities products like detergent. I believe the fine chemical industry of Liaoyang will be successful in the province after years’ of hard work. Q: Liaoyang is a city with more than 2000 years’ history so people are concerned about the development of its tourism besides the manufacturing industry. A: We have just finished a development program of Liaoyang’s tourism. The former one seems out of time. The key point of the program is to make a clear plan and put it into practice. Increase the number of large scenic spots according to the market needs. Without large scenic spots, who cares about how excellent your plan is? So several large scenic spots will be built, one of which is Gongchangling, a famous town of hot wells. It will be developed into a scenic spot characterized by hot wells and valleys. We are now negotiating with big tourist companies from Hong Kong and I’m pretty sure of the corporation between the two parties. Another one is the Dongjing City which was the first capital built by Nuerhachi after he had won the sovereign power. The site of Dongjing City, including the Dongjing Forrest, has been completely conserved. The scenic spot will be built after well planed. Moreover, there is an island named Taizi (means prince) Island which occupies 8 square kilometers. The island is related to a legend, saying that Prince Dan hid himself on the island when he sent Jinke to assassinate Qinshihuang, the first emperor of Qin Dynasty. Most Chinese people know the story. Embracing by waters, Taizi Island presents beautiful sceneries with extraordinary ecological conditions which are appreciated by many experts on tourism both at home and abroad. We are planning to develop the island as a large scenic spot for recreation, sight seeing, vacation and rest and recuperation. There are some other scenic spots. The Guangyou Temple has contributed to the conformity of the tourist resources around Liaoyang and the whole Shenyang Economic Zone of eight cities. We believe that Liaoyang will be an attractive city for tourists.
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