Tourism or electric power? That is the struggle between residents and officials in the public in Guizhou Province's Xingyi City. The government wants to build a hydroelectric power station that would put scenic spots under water. I cannot say this is the first time I have heard this issue come up.
It is a tough issue, really. Not building a dam preserves the current scenic beauty which brings in tourist money, and building the dam provides tax revenue of around $14 million Chinese yuan (USD 1.7 million) per year. Actually, come to think of it, that sounds like more of an ethical issue than anything else. Those who have the power to say if the dam is built are also the same ones who would profit from the building of the dam.
The Chinese government does have a good case, it seems. I do not know if I really go for the excuse that the artificial lake caused by the dam will become a tourist attraction. Sounds pretty weak, but the huge growth of China has to be fueled by something. I would dare say a hydroelectric dam is nicer than a coal power plant.
In the article in the People's Daily Online, locals said, "It is not worth destroying a scenic spot for temporary profit." That is unfair as well. I would not call it very temporary, unless you want to compare it to the age of the geologic formations on which the dam rests. Local growth will most certainly benefit from this dam in the increased power, and what most people ignore is the thought of having a city that does not have enough power.
This is all too common an issue in China. As I was travelling around Guizhou with collegues, we came across a county seat, indeed bigger than the town I now live, that was going to be moved. I thought I had heard wrong. How can you move a town? Well, they are doing it, over and over across China. I will have to say that watching the progress on that dam was breath taking. This small town boy had not see anything like that before.
And in that situation, the resevoir will most likely draw more people to a place where tourists did not formerly go. I do not know if that was wise planning or a strike of geologic luck. You cannot go building dams just anywhere, you know.
It is hard to say. I certainly do not have enough facts to chastise the locals or reprimand the government in Xingyi. I do wish the government would at least give more information to try to avoid the questioning of their ethics in this decision. It is a tricky business making decisions that affect so many residents and at the same time put so much money in the government's coffers. It just looks bad no matter how you do it. And it does not exactly sound like the issue is up for debate.
DIDN'T HELP!
Posted by: Nathan | 18 Dec 2006 at 12:44
Did not help what? Eco-tourism is a tricky thing in China: regions need to be developed and some regions need to retain some of their scenic beauty. Nathan, if you have a specific issue you want to see posted here, I would be more than glad to deal with that topic if it does have to do with the development of rural resources, like the potential for the development of the tourist industry discussed here.
Posted by: Cooper Strange | 18 Dec 2006 at 13:23
LOL DIDNT HELP AT ALL
Posted by: LOL | 9 Feb 2007 at 18:30
Ok, to each his own. I cannot quite figure out what I did not help.
Posted by: Cooper Strange | 11 Feb 2007 at 01:06
This helped me! Thanks :)
Posted by: ginger miles | 12 Apr 2007 at 15:33
Glad this helped some, Ginger. It is really just an attempt to dig into some of the issues here in China and open a discussion about them. Keep reading and keep commenting. We appreciate the communication.
Posted by: Cooper Strange | 12 Apr 2007 at 23:08