Key projects showcase enhanced governance capacity
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-11-06 01:14

An exhibition on China's major engineering projects over the past five decades is on the sidelines of the 2004 World Engineers' Convention to showcase the enhanced governance capacity of the Chinese government.

Among the 15 projects on display are the Three Gorges Dam Project, the manned space mission, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway and major projects scheduled for the next five to 10 years that have played a leading role in building China's national strength.

Behind these imposing projects lies a government that has a strong sense of responsibility, works for the people and is highly capable of overall coordination, said Lee Yee-Cheong, president of the World Federation of Engineering Organization.

Lee said a country's key projects mirror its government's strategic insight.

"The Chinese government is far-sighted in its plans for major engineering projects," said Hu Hao, an official in charge of the lunar probe program with China's Commission of Science Technology and Industry for National Defense.

China's long-expected lunar probe program was launched early this year. The satellite program, as a part of the ambitious three- stage lunar project, will be followed by the landing of an unmanned vehicle on the Moon in the second stage by 2010, and collecting samples of lunar soil with an unmanned vehicle by 2020.

Though costly and seemingly irrelevant to the lives of ordinary people, Hu said the program offers a golden opportunity for China to bolster its scientific research capacity and will contribute to the sustainable development of all of human society in the long term.

Meanwhile, the Chinese government has enhanced its own capacity in maintaining sustainable development through the rational reallocation of resources, says Stephen Green, head of the Asia program with the Royal Institute of International Affairs.

Among the exemplary examples are China's landmark projects to transfer electricity and gas from the resource-rich west to the east, and pipeline water from the south to the thirsty north, he said.

Besides academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the voices of the common people are heard more often in the decision-making process for China's key projects, says Dr. Liu Jianjun, a public administration specialist with the Shanghai-based Fudan University.

Beijing has recently amended its draft design of the centerpiece stadium for the 2008 Olympic Games at the call of experts and citizens, he said.

 "The budget has been brought down to 2.27 billion yuan (274 million US dollars) from the original 3.5 billion yuan (422 million US dollars)," said Liu, adding that it is a positive trend for the government to enhance governance by democratizing the decision-making processes.

Close

Today's Top News     Top China News
Nation likely to be 3rd largest trading power         Nutritional imbalance plagues people         Mine blast kills 33, injures 6 in Henan         Coal mining: Most deadly job in China         Shen and Zhao win Cup of China         Consumer price remains stable in October	Hu pledges strategic partnership with Brazil       Coal mining: Most deadly job in China       Mine blast kills 33, injures 6 in Henan       Consumer price remains stable in October       Work on anti-trust legislation stepped up       Wen: Nation strengthens ties with Luxembourg