Protesters scuffle with police over plant relocation
Xinhua, August 14, 2011
Thousands of residents in northeast China's port city of Dalian held a protest Sunday morning in front of the city's government offices to demand the relocation of a local chemical plant over fears of toxic chemical leaks.
Calls to relocate the Fujia Chemical Plant mounted this week after large waves whipped up by tropical storm Muifa breached a dike near the plant. The dike was built to protect the plant from floodwaters; residents are concerned that a potential flood could damage the plant and cause it to release toxic chemicals.
Protestors chanted "Fujia (the chemical plant), get out!" and scuffled with riot control officers in a public square in front of Dalian's municipal government offices. There have been no reports of injuries.
The protesters, mostly young people, sang the national anthem and displayed banners printed with the phrases "we want to survive" and "we want a good environment." Zhongshan Road, a main artery that passes near the square, was blocked off.
The protest started with a small crowd sitting in front of the buildings around 10 a.m. Sunday and quickly grew from there. The crowds have yet to disperse.
The city's Communist Party of China (CPC) chief Tang Jun and mayor Li Wancai tried to appease the crowd by promising to move the plant out of the city.
Protesters said their promise was welcomed, but added that they wanted the officials to give a clear timetable for moving the plant. Some of the protesters have refused to move until a timetable is established.
Calls to relocate the Fujia Chemical Plant mounted this week after large waves whipped up by tropical storm Muifa breached a dike near the plant. The dike was built to protect the plant from floodwaters; residents are concerned that a potential flood could damage the plant and cause it to release toxic chemicals.
The plant is a producer of paraxylene (PX), a petrochemical used to create raw materials for the production of polyester film and fabrics. The chemical is carcinogenic.
The breached dike has been repaired and no chemical leaks have been reported, but the demands for relocation are gathering steam.
Sunday's protest resembles a similar move by residents of southeast China's city of Xiamen in 2007 to call for the relocation of a Taiwanese-funded PX plant. The plant was eventually moved out of the city.
