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Published online 9 January 2008 | Nature 451, 117 (2008) | doi:10.1038/451117a
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China bows to public over chemical plant
Environmental protesters score landmark victory.
BEJING In an unusual capitulation to public pressure, Beijing is to relocate a controversial billion-dollar chemical plant away from the picturesque seaport of Xiamen in southeast China.
The decision, hailed as a milestone for China's environmental and democratic movements, follows the release of an environmental-impact assessment of the project at a public hearing in December.
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This is a very encouraging progress in China. It indicated that a growing middle class in China is transforming their economic power into political prestige. This event will teach the public how to defend our right using established laws and regulations. It seems that Internet played an important function in educating the public and organizing the activities in this and several previous events. We need to protect our freedom to access information through Internet. I am excited and confident that this and more upcoming progress will lead to transformation of China into a more open and democratic society. I am also pleasant that central and local government officials did not display the kind of intolerance that is still often found elsewhere in China when facing similar challenges.
This incident came as a surprise given that numerous previous attempts by the people to "speak up" in the past have failed. The latest consensus between the authorities and the people is that the building of the chemical factory will continue, but it will be located in a more remote region of Fujian province. I guess economics still speaks louder than environmental conservation at the end of the day.
I hope other steps in direction of the peaple defens.