Creating a Leading Ecological Protection Zone in the Yellow River Basin in Tai'an, China

TAIAN,China,May 23,2023 --This is a report from the Shandong office of the Hong Kong Business Daily. Shandong is the "last stop" for the Yellow River to enter the sea,and the ecological protection and high-quality development strategy of the Yellow River basin have given Shandong significant historical opportunities. Among the nine cities along the Yellow River in Shandong,Tai'an accounts for 47.5% of the total area of the Yellow River basin in the province,making it the only city that covers all counties and cities. Tai'an proposed to create a leading ecological protection zone in the Yellow River Basin and strive to find a green,low-carbon,and high-quality development path that meets the requirements of the new era and has Tai'an characteristics.

Tai'an is located in the lower reaches of the Yellow River. It is named after Mount Taishan. Dawen River runs through the east and west,and Dongping Lake is connected with the Yellow River. Mount Taishan culture is famous at home and abroad,and it is the main battlefield of ecological protection and high-quality development in the lower reaches of the Yellow River. In specific work,Tai'an City will build green ecological corridors,implement ecological governance in key areas,solidly promote wetland protection and restoration,and continue to carry out land greening actions. Strengthen the conservation and intensive utilization of water resources,optimize water resource allocation,and comprehensively build a water-saving society. At the same time,we will build a modern industrial system with distinctive advantages,accelerate the transformation of old and new driving forces,comprehensively promote digital empowerment,vigorously develop modern service industries,and cultivate a good industrial ecology. Actively integrating into the new development pattern,enhancing new driving forces for innovative development,deepening reforms in key areas,and comprehensively improving the level of opening up to the outside world. Tai'an will also protect,inherit and promote the Yellow River culture,systematically protect the Yellow River cultural heritage,create a new brand of Yellow River cultural tourism,and promote the integration and interaction of Yellow River culture.

In 2022,the improvement of indicators such as ozone,SO2,and heavy pollution days in Tai'an City ranked first in Shandong Province,and the improvement of the comprehensive air quality index ranked eighth among the 168 key cities in China and second in Shandong Province.