ChapterⅠ Forging the city with ecological balance.
Constructing an ecological pacesetter city in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration.
（Translator：Cai Ning, Proofreader: Xu Yingrui）
Qinhuangdao, a beautiful coastal city, is well-known for its ecology. Green environmental protection is the characteristic of our city, and ecology is the foundation for the survival of city and the source of development. In recent years, municipal committee and municipal government have firmly established the understanding that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets”. “Saihanba Spirit” is carried forward and by using unprecedented determination and strength the ecological and environmental governance is promoted. The city government regarded the ecology as the foundation of city and core competitiveness and firmly implemented the strategy of "the ecological concept of city construction". It is also proving top quality ecological products to enhance people’s sense of happiness and fulfillment and making every effort to construct a model city in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration .
Qinhuangdao has established “river chief system” and “river channel superintendent system” based on the city-country-town-village in Hebei province and 2343 river chief and 41 river channel superintendent are clearly regulated. The head of the four departments of the city government are responsible for 17 rivers and among them, the city river chief inspected the whole length of more than 1500 km of civil river on foot. The purpose is to make every river being attended to and form a river management system covering the citywide rivers. Since 2017, 860000m3 wastes have been cleaned; 230000 m3 illegal construction near the river have been demolished; 500 sewage outlets and 272 water pollution enterpriseshave been regulated; 2317 riverside farms have been rectified; and 1407 treatment ponds have been built. Through a series of reorganization, the quality of the river and the sea water has been improved fundamentally. For example, the standardized rate of off-shore water is 100%, and standardized rate of the water quality of bathing beach is 99.4%, which is in the forefront of the country. In the future, Qinhuangdao will further implement “clear water action”, and fully carry out “bay chief system”. The leaders should play a leading role in measuring the coastline on foot, strictly control the height of the building, promote the beach dynamic governance, strive to establish a clean, smooth, green and ecological river system, and make every river be full of life, beauty, prosperity and civilization.
The establishment of the national forest city
“Forest is the important resource of terrestrial ecosystem, which is also the ecological barrier to human beings’ survival and development.” In recent years, the municipal committee and municipal government mainly focused on the construction of the national forest city, accelerating the construction of the barren hill, water system, channel, the landscaping of major districts and roads, and farmland shelterbelt network. The forestation area is over 164737 acres, and the percentage of forest cover has reached to 51%. This year, Qinhuangdao will solve the principle environmental problems and deploy the task of about 65895 acres afforestation. We will try our best to overfulfil and speed up the construction of urban forest ecosystem, industrial system, cultural system and supporting system in order to ensure the successful establishment of national forest city and the percentage of forest cover reaching to 60% in 2020. In the future, Qinhuangdao will be constructed into an ecological and livable city in order to satisfy people’s demand for the graceful environment, to enhance the city image and to realize the increment of the whole city. Finally, green and civilization will be the most brilliant city card.
Studded with green space, flowers, fountains and sculptures, this coastal city is a paradise for loitering. The tranquility of the garden resonates with the vitality of the city. In 2017, Qinhuangdao took great measures against air pollution and vowed to win the fight to defend the blue of our skies. 944 enterprises inconsistent with comprehensive planning or regulations of environmental protection are overhauled and 756 such enterprises were shut down. We promoted green cars, reduced the average PM2.5 density by 4.3 percent, and led the Beijing-Tianjing-Hebei Region with 268 days a year meeting the air quality standards. The promotion of clean energy and green energy-saving buildings has been accelerated. We have taken major steps to address rural non-pint source pollution, implemented the supervision and resource recovery of livestock and poultry raising waste, significantly reduced the usage of fertilizer and pesticide, and strengthened the comprehensive improvement of open-pit mine. The whole city has taken on a brand-new look for massive campaigns to clear up the city, pick up cigarette ends and clean up beaches.
Capital of Bird-Watching
For its superior geological location, favorable ecologic environment and abundant bird-watching resources, Qinhuangdao has won the approval of wildlife preservation experts, acclaimed as “City of Bird-Watching” in China and one of the four bird-watching resorts in the world. Currently, About 500 species of birds thrive here, accounting for nearly one third of China’s bird species and 30.34 percent of national wild birds, among which about 70 species are under special state protection. The golden time for bird watching is from late March to late May or from early September to middle November. A wide variety of birds concentrate in Beidaihe wetland, Qilihai, Yanghekou, which lures flocks of domestic and foreign bird-watching fans.