Kunming residents sceptical after 'chemical plant still at planning stage'
Kunming authorities say they are still deliberating on plans to build PX plant, but doubts are raised by papers contradicting them
Kunming moved to allay public anger over a controversial chemical project yesterday by claiming it was still in the planning stage. But the announcement was met with scepticism, with residents planning a large protest next week.
An unnamed official in Yunnan's provincial capital told Xinhua that the government was still deliberating on the project, which involves the production of paraxylene (PX), a potentially hazardous petrochemical used to make fabrics.
"No decision has been made yet," the official said.
Mandy Zhou, a 30-year-old of Kunming, said the public remained wary and were rallying others to join a May 16 protest.
"There is very little public confidence in the government," she said. "They are just trying to disorganise our appeals and protests, so that they can move forward with the project."
The official announcement also seemed to contradict at least two official documents posted on government websites indicating that the project owner, the Yunnan-based Yuntianhua Group, was seeking approval for plans and environmental reviews.