Chanba district in Xi'an, Shaanxi province has been named a national water ecosystem protection and restoration pilot area following years of environmental efforts by local authorities. Photos Provided to China Daily

Chanba rises with restored environment and international events

Since the first Euro-Asia Economic Forum was held in 2005 in Chanba, an eco-friendly district in Xi'an, it has become another of the nation's centers of influential cultural and business communication.

"The forum is of positive and profound significance when it comes to communication and cooperation among European and Asian economies as well as the welfare of the people from those economies," said Zhao Zhengyong, Party chief of the province.

As the permanent venue for the event, Chanba is now building the Euro-Asia Economic Forum Park.

"Chanba" is literally the combination of two rivers' names. The Chan and Ba rivers run through the district, among the eight rivers that encircle Xi'an, an ancient capital of more than 10 dynasties in China.

Yet before the district was formed, the two rivers were polluted and their banks were blighted by waste and sandpits.

Local authorities decided to clean up the rivers as an impetus for development of the entire region.

Since the district was founded in 2004, the government initiated a series of environmental projects for ecological restoration and management.

Their efforts paid off, with about 11.33 sq km wetlands restored, 19.33 sq km forests planted and the surrounding greenbelt increased to 4.4 sq km.

Bird species drawn to the district rose from about 60 to more than 200.

As a result, it has been named the first national-level ecological district in Northwest China and national water ecosystem protection and restoration pilot area.

The district's latest environmental move is to build the national-level water recreation area Xi'an Expo Park. The Ministry of Water Resources preliminarily approved the plan in June.

The appealing environment has contributed to Chanba winning the bid to host high-profile international events.

They include the 2007 F1 Powerboat World Championship and the 2013 Tour of China Road Cycling Race.

The 2011 Xi'an World Garden Expo was also in the district, attracting 15.7 million visitors.

With the Chanba green campaign widely acclaimed, last year the Ministry of Foreign Affairs gave the green light to a 60-hectare Xi'an Consulate Area in the district.

Construction is planned to start this year and take five to eight years to complete.

At a cost of 4.5 billion yuan ($732.5 million), the area will include sections for office buildings, residential communities, business services, and liaison offices for European and Asian enterprises, which will "pave the way for other nations and regions to set up consulates and agencies in Xi'an", local officials said.

South Korea and Thailand already have their consulates in Xi'an.

Nine of the world's top 500 companies including France's Decathlon and Germany's Metro AG have established operations in Chanba.

Nine national enterprises under real estate developer Greenland Group Co were also attracted to the area.

The district's economic development centers around financial services and focuses on conventions and expos, tourism, entertainment, commerce and trade, officials said.

Low carbon and leisure are among the key development concepts in this district, they added.

More than 50 financial projects including the global service center of Bank of China and the Shaanxi Branch of China Development Bank have arrived in Chanba, said Yang Liuqi, Party secretary of the district working committee.

"Total fixed-asset investment has reached 14 billion yuan," Yang said.

When Chinese President Xi Jinping visited four central Asian countries - Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan - last September, he proposed a strategic plan to set up a "Silk Road Economic Belt".

It brought a new mission and momentum to the Euro-Asia Economic Forum Park under construction. Xi'an is the original gateway of the Silk Road, a series of trade routes that connected the West and East starting from the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220).

Projections say the district will have a population of 550,000 by 2020 as it becomes a modern hub for ecology, commerce and culture.

songmengxing@chinadaily.com.cn

The 2007 F1 Powerboat World Championship was held in Chanba.

The 2011 Xi'an World Garden Expo was another global event hosted in the district.

(China Daily European Weekly 09/05/2014 page13)