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| Activists voice doubts over politicians' vow to 'build a beautiful China' | Activists voice doubts over politicians' vow to 'build a beautiful China' |
| (17 days later) | |
| Officials at Beijing's stately National People's Congress, an annual conclave held by China's political leadership, were full of promises to "build a beautiful China" of blue skies and pristine rivers – promises which, as the air in adjacent Tiananmen Square settled into smoky grey, critics derided as more talk than action. | Officials at Beijing's stately National People's Congress, an annual conclave held by China's political leadership, were full of promises to "build a beautiful China" of blue skies and pristine rivers – promises which, as the air in adjacent Tiananmen Square settled into smoky grey, critics derided as more talk than action. |
| In early March, the deputy foreign minister, Fu Ying, said the conference would "revise and improve" the country's environmental protection legislation, adding that she keeps anti-pollution face masks for herself and her daughter. | In early March, the deputy foreign minister, Fu Ying, said the conference would "revise and improve" the country's environmental protection legislation, adding that she keeps anti-pollution face masks for herself and her daughter. |
| At the end of the NPC on Sunday, premier Li Keqiang told reporters that China "shouldn't pursue economic growth at the expense of the environment". | At the end of the NPC on Sunday, premier Li Keqiang told reporters that China "shouldn't pursue economic growth at the expense of the environment". |
| Yet China's environmental policy remains as it was when the conference began two weeks ago. Fu did not provide a timetable for revisions, and Li did not describe how the government would follow its own advice. | Yet China's environmental policy remains as it was when the conference began two weeks ago. Fu did not provide a timetable for revisions, and Li did not describe how the government would follow its own advice. |
| "They always speak eloquently about how the environment should be protected," said Li Bo, head of the Beijing-based environmental NGO Friends of Nature. "But as soon as there is an issue dealing with whether to protect the environment or give the go-ahead to a specific development project, the development initiative wins." | "They always speak eloquently about how the environment should be protected," said Li Bo, head of the Beijing-based environmental NGO Friends of Nature. "But as soon as there is an issue dealing with whether to protect the environment or give the go-ahead to a specific development project, the development initiative wins." |
| Popular anger about China's poor environmental record has reached fever pitch within the past few months. Beijing spent much of this winter smothered in record levels of smog. | Popular anger about China's poor environmental record has reached fever pitch within the past few months. Beijing spent much of this winter smothered in record levels of smog. |
| Authorities recently revealed that the country's soil pollution levels are classified as a state secret, and more than 13,000 rotting pig carcasses were discovered last week in a river that cuts through Shanghai and supplies tap water to more than a fifth of its people. | Authorities recently revealed that the country's soil pollution levels are classified as a state secret, and more than 13,000 rotting pig carcasses were discovered last week in a river that cuts through Shanghai and supplies tap water to more than a fifth of its people. |
| This weekend, almost a third of delegates to the NPC refused to rubber-stamp a fresh batch of environmental committee appointments, suggesting that the issue has become as unbearable among some government officials as it has among ordinary people. | This weekend, almost a third of delegates to the NPC refused to rubber-stamp a fresh batch of environmental committee appointments, suggesting that the issue has become as unbearable among some government officials as it has among ordinary people. |
| Out of 2,944 delegates, 850 voted against the new lineup of the congress's environmental protection and resources conservation committee; another 125 abstained. According to the South China Morning Post, the delegates "greeted the result with a long boo". Zhou Shengxian was re-elected as the minister of environmental protection after spending five years in the position. | Out of 2,944 delegates, 850 voted against the new lineup of the congress's environmental protection and resources conservation committee; another 125 abstained. According to the South China Morning Post, the delegates "greeted the result with a long boo". Zhou Shengxian was re-elected as the minister of environmental protection after spending five years in the position. |
| Ma Tianjie, the head of toxics campaign at Greenpeace East Asia, said that despite the lack of concrete anti-pollution action at the congress, bold environmental legislation may yet emerge over the next five years as new leaders acclimate to their roles and cement their alliances. | Ma Tianjie, the head of toxics campaign at Greenpeace East Asia, said that despite the lack of concrete anti-pollution action at the congress, bold environmental legislation may yet emerge over the next five years as new leaders acclimate to their roles and cement their alliances. |
| "Because they're changing a lot of positions at the top, they have been a bit cautious in revealing their agenda," he said. "The problem is not that the top doesn't get it – they have got it for a while now. The problem is with lower level authorities, whether they can translate that kind of top-level consciousness to actual actions on the ground." | "Because they're changing a lot of positions at the top, they have been a bit cautious in revealing their agenda," he said. "The problem is not that the top doesn't get it – they have got it for a while now. The problem is with lower level authorities, whether they can translate that kind of top-level consciousness to actual actions on the ground." |
| Yet some official responses at the meetings belie the question of who, exactly, will lead the charge. The deputy environmental protection minister, Wu Xiaoqing, refused to answer a question about soil pollution at a tightly scripted press conference on Friday. | Yet some official responses at the meetings belie the question of who, exactly, will lead the charge. The deputy environmental protection minister, Wu Xiaoqing, refused to answer a question about soil pollution at a tightly scripted press conference on Friday. |
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