Daqing: Science Giant

Improving Citizens'

White clouds drift against a backdrop of blue sky, a myriad of imposing buildings rise up above a well-planned city with wide roads and free-flowing traffic. Interspersed with wetlands with flocks of birds chirrupping in the bracing air. This is Daqing. Almost every person who visits Daqing exclaims "what a beautiful city!"

In fact, Daqing's beauty isn't found exclusively in its environment. In the 2010 Blue Book on Competitiveness of Chinese Cities released by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Daqing was on the list of China's top 50 competitive cities. On the happiness index Daqing citizens ranked 92nd, the highest among cities in Northeast China.

Daqing people's happiness originates from various projects. In recent years, focusing on improving the general wellbeing of its people, Daqing has comprehensively strengthened social services to satisfy people's needs on several levels and has encouraged a pattern of development where people's standard of living comes first. Every year it earmarks RMB 5 billion for programs aimed to boost local incomes, foster good citizenship, support startups, provide comfortable housing and social security, and improve health, traffic conditions, the environment, culture, and safety. In this way, Daqing authorities hope to construct a harmonious society of happy families and cooperative citizens in a balanced environment that supports lives of affluence and dignity. Daqing is already making strides with its first goal: the 2010 per capita disposable income in urban Daqing reached RMB 20,000, up 46 percent over 2005, and the 2010 per capita net income of rural residents reached RMB 8,000, double that of 2000.

Guided by the 12th Five-year Plan, the Daqing government proposed that it would make people's lives much happier in a variety of areas. The goals include obtaining the best quality of life in the country and creating a new living environment with clearer skies and water, manageable traffic, and a more aesthetic and convenient city landscape. It will nurture new healthy lifestyles and satisfy the people's material and spiritual needs on all levels. Finally, to facilitate people's lives and build a fairer and more equal society, a standardized and well organized urban public service system will be developed.

With clear traffic, and comfortable housing and sound public security, no wonder smiling faces are seen everywhere in Daqing.

Building a Beautiful City

Development brings beauty to a city, and scientific development is bound to make a city even more enticing.

In recent years, Daqing has taken urban and ecological planning as the premise of building a beautiful city. It aims to achieve development and modernization without a toll on the ecosystem. Its vision of the future is "a city built on the oil industry and scientific & technological innovations, vigorous in every walk of life, and admired for charming water views and lush grasslands." Aware of the inherent flaws in an urban design that is based on oilfields alone, Daqing is enhancing the cityscape by expanding its water system, wetlands and green spaces. Over the last few years it has lavished RMB 100 billion on some 200 key projects to build facilities and services that ensure a smooth, efficient and fully functioning city.

During the five years from 2011 to 2015, Daqing will intensify efforts to construct new districts and renovate old downtown areas, optimize city lay-out, upgrade urban functions, further improve its environment and shape its unique style so as to build Daqing into a modern international metropolis that is sophisticated and nourishing.