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SCMP Reporter

He wants to improve sewage treatment, rubbish collection and street cleaning

Guangzhou Mayor Zhang Guang-ning has set two goals for the coming year: to spur economic development and make the city a better place to live and work.

'We stated in our work report for 2004 that we must grasp economic development and environment construction at the same time,' Mr Zhang said.

'The party committee has set us the targets of doubling per-capita gross domestic product by 2010 and making Guangzhou a suitable place for living and working.'

Mr Zhang replaced Lin Shusen as mayor last year. Mr Lin brought about the transformation of Guangzhou with new planned urban centres in Tianhe and Zhujiang New City, elevated roads and the planting of green verges.

Before the arrival of Mr Lin, who is now the city's Communist Party secretary, Guangzhou was an unsightly urban sprawl with new office and residential buildings standing amid ramshackle construction sites and exasperating traffic jams.

Mr Zhang vowed yesterday to improve sewage treatment, rubbish collection, street cleaning and roads in all districts of the city, as well as demolish thousands of illegal buildings. He said good city management would be measured by how clean and orderly the community was.

'Old or new is not a problem. We only need to clean up, brighten up, maintain properties and make sure that disputes are resolved. The most important thing is the image of the city,' he said.

One of the main challenges facing Guangzhou's urban management this year is the growing problem of beggars. From next Thursday, the city will  categorise beggars as either truly destitute or as professional beggars.

Mr Zhang said Guangzhou had five shelters which had provided assistance to 7,600 needy people, including 600 children, as of February 25.

'If these people are really destitute, I feel we should help them. We still have funds to provide aid to them, but some beggars are not destitute. We feel that there are syndicates operating,' he said.

'They obstruct traffic, they make use of children. Their conduct affects social order and inconveniences  Guangzhou residents. They block roads and passageways, they pull on your clothes and grab your leg and won't let go.'

He said the city government would use all available laws and regulations to control the conduct of professional beggars. 'We have laws to deal with them if they block roads and mess up public places.'

The city would mobilise the civil affairs, police and health departments to tackle the problem, and also urge the rest of the community to join in, Mr Zhang said.

The mayor also spoke about the need to work with Hong Kong to attract professionals in the finance, insurance and exhibition fields, and other services, to work in Guangzhou.  'In the future, we want to develop the services industry so we want more talent to come. This will raise the level of Guangzhou's services.'

The city has set a target of 12 per cent growth this year. Some officials say it could reach 15 per cent.



Mayor pledges to spruce up image of Guangzhou