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Though Changxing County has boasted a highly flourishing local economy, Si’an Town in the county used to be known as Siberia of Zhejiang for two reasons: it features a relatively cold climate and it stayed devastated for a long while after its prosperity was destroyed by perennial wars in the past. But today, the rural town in northwestern Zhejiang is different: it boasts large tracts of forests and its local economy flourishes with the aid of a floral industry that takes nice care of local ecology and caters to large markets in neighboring cities.
The fundamental change can be attributed to the success of a new strategy of preserving ecology. The town used to be of military and geographic significance as it is located between Zhejiang and Anhui and Jiangsu provinces. It enjoyed prosperity in ancient times for its easy access to the provinces. The town, however, became victimized by recurring battles between warlords for grabbing the control of the strategic spot. It stayed devastated for a long while and failed to find a successful formula to revitalize its economy.
In 1999, Si’an and three other rural towns were merged under the jurisdiction of Changxing County, each contributing a huge amount of debts to the county’s balance sheet. In Si’an alone, there were three thousand households whose per capita income was no more than 2,000 a year and there were more than 3,000 families living in adobe houses. The only large business the town boasted back then was a joint venture with another town. The town government was inadequate in funds that it was short of office stationery and furniture.
In order to lift the town out of poverty, Changxing County organized a fact-finding committee. It investigated the situation and came up with a series of proposals for promoting economic and social rebirth of Si’an. The county government acted upon the proposals and launched a series of preferential policies to promote the local reconstruction.
Si’an sent teams out to solicit investment. The teams visited neighboring cities such as Shanghai, Hangzhou and Suzhou to attract investment. The rural town has something unique to offer: its forest resources and its expertise in cultivating saplings for urban customers. Today, the town’s tree and flower industry has grown to be the pillar of its economy. Si’an supplies 90% of the adult camphor trees of Shanghai. It is also a major supplier to floral businesses in major neighboring urban centers such as Nanjing and Hangzhou. Life Science School of Zhejiang University runs a large-scale research and development farm in the town.
A national forestry expert views Si’an as a wonder supplier: Si’an is the only supplier in China that could offer 1,000 adult camphor trees overnight from its tree farms.
Xinglong Village well embodies the growth trend taking place across Si’an. The village has installed more than 130 solar-powered street lamps. Low-carbon is a popular word with villagers. The village is part of the town’s floral industry. Si’an now dedicates more than 13,000 hectares to this industry. A large part of the tree farms has been converted from barren hills that used to be everywhere. Turning barren hills into sapling nurseries has proved to be a key to the success of the town’s economic takeoff.
At present, the town has a balanced and rationally deployed industry. Statistics are best indicators of the growth of the local economy: in 2002, the town’s revenue was 7.1 million whereas in 2005 it jumped to 25 million; in 2002 it had only one large-scale business whereas in 2005 it boasted 27 large-scale businesses; in 2002, the town’s banks had deposits of 130 million whereas in 2005 it jumped to 350 million.
The town also owes its fast and rational economic growth to experts from universities and industrial authorities. Experts were hired to formulate development plans and draw a roadmap for Si’an. The experts said garment and machinery industries could be their ideal choices. These two labor-intensive industries produce little pollution but employ a great number of local residents.
As ecological resources are abundant to attract urbanites from neighboring cities, the town government is considering plans for developing rural tourism. Xianshan Lake has been designated a national wetland. Planners from universities are planning to set up a resort area around the wetland to better preserve the wetland ecology.
Si’an embodies exactly what the Zhejiang People’s Congress and Zhejiang People’s Political Consultative Conference emphasized in January, 2011 at their annual sessions for the 12th Five-Year Plan starting this year for the province: Zhejiang will continue to improve ecology and base the province’s growth on its well-preserved and developed ecology; Zhejiang will continue to cut down carbon emission, develop a recyclable economy, conserve resources, preserve ecology and environment in a bid to adapt to climatic changes. □
The fundamental change can be attributed to the success of a new strategy of preserving ecology. The town used to be of military and geographic significance as it is located between Zhejiang and Anhui and Jiangsu provinces. It enjoyed prosperity in ancient times for its easy access to the provinces. The town, however, became victimized by recurring battles between warlords for grabbing the control of the strategic spot. It stayed devastated for a long while and failed to find a successful formula to revitalize its economy.
In 1999, Si’an and three other rural towns were merged under the jurisdiction of Changxing County, each contributing a huge amount of debts to the county’s balance sheet. In Si’an alone, there were three thousand households whose per capita income was no more than 2,000 a year and there were more than 3,000 families living in adobe houses. The only large business the town boasted back then was a joint venture with another town. The town government was inadequate in funds that it was short of office stationery and furniture.
In order to lift the town out of poverty, Changxing County organized a fact-finding committee. It investigated the situation and came up with a series of proposals for promoting economic and social rebirth of Si’an. The county government acted upon the proposals and launched a series of preferential policies to promote the local reconstruction.
Si’an sent teams out to solicit investment. The teams visited neighboring cities such as Shanghai, Hangzhou and Suzhou to attract investment. The rural town has something unique to offer: its forest resources and its expertise in cultivating saplings for urban customers. Today, the town’s tree and flower industry has grown to be the pillar of its economy. Si’an supplies 90% of the adult camphor trees of Shanghai. It is also a major supplier to floral businesses in major neighboring urban centers such as Nanjing and Hangzhou. Life Science School of Zhejiang University runs a large-scale research and development farm in the town.
A national forestry expert views Si’an as a wonder supplier: Si’an is the only supplier in China that could offer 1,000 adult camphor trees overnight from its tree farms.
Xinglong Village well embodies the growth trend taking place across Si’an. The village has installed more than 130 solar-powered street lamps. Low-carbon is a popular word with villagers. The village is part of the town’s floral industry. Si’an now dedicates more than 13,000 hectares to this industry. A large part of the tree farms has been converted from barren hills that used to be everywhere. Turning barren hills into sapling nurseries has proved to be a key to the success of the town’s economic takeoff.
At present, the town has a balanced and rationally deployed industry. Statistics are best indicators of the growth of the local economy: in 2002, the town’s revenue was 7.1 million whereas in 2005 it jumped to 25 million; in 2002 it had only one large-scale business whereas in 2005 it boasted 27 large-scale businesses; in 2002, the town’s banks had deposits of 130 million whereas in 2005 it jumped to 350 million.
The town also owes its fast and rational economic growth to experts from universities and industrial authorities. Experts were hired to formulate development plans and draw a roadmap for Si’an. The experts said garment and machinery industries could be their ideal choices. These two labor-intensive industries produce little pollution but employ a great number of local residents.
As ecological resources are abundant to attract urbanites from neighboring cities, the town government is considering plans for developing rural tourism. Xianshan Lake has been designated a national wetland. Planners from universities are planning to set up a resort area around the wetland to better preserve the wetland ecology.
Si’an embodies exactly what the Zhejiang People’s Congress and Zhejiang People’s Political Consultative Conference emphasized in January, 2011 at their annual sessions for the 12th Five-Year Plan starting this year for the province: Zhejiang will continue to improve ecology and base the province’s growth on its well-preserved and developed ecology; Zhejiang will continue to cut down carbon emission, develop a recyclable economy, conserve resources, preserve ecology and environment in a bid to adapt to climatic changes. □