China recently established an Urban and Rural Planning Law to promote the country's urban-rural integration. Aiming at efficiently balancing the country's development, the new law is regarded as a cornerstone for China's long term efforts towards a coordinated planning for both areas.
Our reporter Li Gang has more.
China has established this new law in a bid to coordinate urban-rural spatial distribution, to promote living environments for both urban and rural people, and to advance harmonious and sustainable development of the urban-rural economy.
Wang Guangtao, China's Construction Minister gives a detailed introduction to the new law.
"When establishing and implementing urban-rural plans, we should allocate and integrate land resources in a reasonable way, so that we can reduce pollution and improve ecological environment, promote efficiency in using energy and resources, and protect natural resources and historical and cultural relics to maintain local features of different ethnicities. It is also for the sake of national defense, disaster prevention, the promotion of public health and public security that we have established this new law."
The new law lays special emphasis on preventing officials from constructing "achievement projects" or "image projects" in the process of urban-rural integration.
On the one hand, the new law sets specific regulations to discourage local officials from empirical or blind enlargement of city scales. On the other hand, the new law also clearly states local authorities are not allowed to make any random amendment or alteration to the legal procedures concerning urban-rural planning. All plans that have already been announced, except for those related to national security, should be accessible to people and organizations within the country.
While China is believed to has taken a big step in urban-rural integration by establishing this new law, experts stress that strict implementation of the law is of equal importance.
Huang Jianchu is an official with the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.
"In order to guarantee smooth urban and rural planning, we should not only establish relevant laws, but also implement them strictly and steadily."
As China has been experiencing fast economic development, the original system to manage urban and rural planning can no longer meet the current needs. People say they have high expectations for this new law, which will be implemented on January 1st, 2008.
