Yancheng Special: 'Salt City' Yancheng moves to modernize

Yancheng - literally "Salt City"- is named for the many sea salt harvest fields around the city in northeastern Jiangsu province. Collection and production of sea salt in the region began during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 24), which brought early prosperity to the region.

Though still one of the eight largest production centers for sea salt in the nation, Yancheng's development in the 30 years of China's reform and opening up has lagged far behind many other cities along the east coast.

That is set to change after recent State Council's approval of a 12-year development plan for Lianyungang, Yancheng and Nantong - three relatively obscure cities in coastal Jiangsu.

Site of the longest sedimentary seafront in Jiangsu, Yancheng now has the opportunity to develop its ports and sediment deposits, said Li Qiang, mayor of the city.

"Yancheng was decoupled from the economic prosperity of the eastern coastal cities mainly because we didn't have a port and did little to develop its coastal resources," he said. "But now a new landscape is to emerge from here that will herald a new era of accelerated development."

The city was considered unsuitable for port facilities due to sediment accretion, but further studies and technological advancement made building ports 1.5 km out to sea feasible.

The city now has a cluster of four ports, with the biggest Dafeng serving as a key regional port between Shanghai in the south and Lianyungang in the north.

The city is also endowed with a 4,553-sq-km sediment deposit, more than 70 percent of the province's total, which is still growing at an estimated speed of 13.3 sq km each year.

The increasing acreage is considered valuable land for both agricultural and industrial development, especially when much of the land in the region is already densely developed.

"We encourage new forms of agricultural development, such as aquatic breeding and flower cultivation that will both increase farmers' income and make better use of the sediment," Li said.

The mayor added that protection of two nature reserves inhabited by the red-crowned crane and Milu deer (elk), both on the vast sediment depository along Yancheng's coast, will be put ahead of any development needs.

Ni Xiangrong, director of the administrative committee of Dafeng port economic zone where the nature reserves are located, agreed. "We've had a difficult time choosing sites for the installation of wind turbines due to concerns they may frighten away the cranes," he said.

New niche

The State Council's approval has boosted Li's confidence in carving out a niche for the city.

Plans call for Yancheng to become a base for new industries including new energy, environmental protection technologies, agricultural processing and logistics.

Wind power is Yancheng's biggest advantage over Lianyungang and Nantong. Potential wind power in the city is estimated at 14.7 million KW, more then two-thirds of the provincial total.

Manufacture of wind turbines in the city has expanded rapidly through 18 billion yuan of investment in the sector. Sales revenue from wind power hardware is expected to reach 50 billion yuan by 2011.

Li hopes to make the city a "new model for industrial development" that moves away from energy-consuming industries to a recycling economy.

Traditional industries like auto manufacturing are also expected to get a boost from the current development plans. The city is already home to Dongfeng Yueda Kia Automobile Co - a joint venture between the Dongfeng Motor Corp, Kia Motors, and Yueda - and a cluster of 54 auto parts companies. It has ambitions to become the biggest sedan production base in Jiangsu province.

As well, Li said city authorities have planned for concerns about port overcapacity and competition due to similar industrial structures among the three northeastern Jiangsu cities.

As a result, Dafeng port will complement Lianyungang's facilities. Yancheng focuses on wind power while Lianyungang will pay more attention to nuclear power, Li said.

But what real benefits will the city's development bring to its population of 8 million?

Li said the government is working to better the lives of the people by creating more jobs and increasing their family income.

"The development of the service industry is placed high on the government's agenda since it is key to enlarging employment in the city, and we are encouraging farmers to develop high-efficiency agriculture that has more added value and will raise their family income."

(China Daily 08/20/2009 page3)