Tanggu District of
Tianjin,
a municipality in north China, is about to launch an expansion
project to reclaim lands from the sea in its low beach area. The
first phase, covering 200,000 square km, should be finished by the
end of 2005. Eventually, more than 500,000 square km of new land
will be created for development of an industrial district.
Reclaiming land from the sea is a great move in Tianjin's marine
economic development. According to the city's comprehensive
strategy, the new land will become a platform for the production of
ethylene, oil refining and desalination of seawater. Based on the
Tianjin Port, the area will become the city's biggest industrial
growth spot.
The Tanggu coastal line stretches 92.16 km, with the low beach area
covering 188 square km, 30 km of which has already been developed.
The 20-square-km low beach area planned for reclamation is
comparatively high after years of silting, with the highest part
reaching 3 meters above sea level and the slope being 0.7 per
thousand. This has created favorable conditions for
reclamation.
It
is reported that the first phase investment will reach 1.8 billion
yuan.
(China.org.cn translated by Li Jingrong, January 16, 2003)