China's Mining Cities in Transition

Zhu Xun

AbstractThis paper gives an overview of the basic situation of China's mining cities, and elaborates on the inevitability of their transformation, the choice of transformation strategies, the results achieved by the transformation, and the experience of the transformation.

Keywords: Mining cities, China, transformation

The year 2012 marks the 10th anniversary of the "Suggestions on Practical Measures to Alleviate the Crisis of the Four Mines", which the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) submitted to the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, based on the appeals made by the CPPCC members and the people in the mining sector, and the special researches and the discussions of the Standing Committee.

The CPPCC's proposal was highly valued by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, and the report of the 16th National Congress of the CPC in November 2002 explicitly put forward the strategic decision of "supporting the development of successive industries in cities and regions where resource exploitation is the main focus".

The State Council issued the Opinions of the State Council on Promoting the Sustainable Development of Resource-Based Cities in 2007 after a series of researches.

Over the past 10 years, due to the importance attached by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, the CPPCC's recommendations have not only been adopted, but have also played a positive role in alleviating the crisis of the "four mines" (mining, mines, miners and mining towns), and in promoting the transformation of mining cities in particular.

Basic situation of China's mining cities

Mining cities refer to cities that have emerged and developed due to the development of mineral resources. According to the China Mining Federation, China Mining City Working Committee, Yu Jicong, Liu Yuexiang and others combined with the National Bureau of Statistics data analysis and research, China currently has 232 mining cities (towns). There are 232 mining cities (towns) in 28 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government. Among them, 97 prefecture-level cities, 81 county-level cities, 54 mining towns.

China's mining cities (towns) have a population of 310 million people, more than 8 million mining workers, mining cities (towns) in 2010 reached 7,500 billion yuan of gross domestic product, accounting for 20% of the national GDP. Mining cities are the main supply bases of mineral energy and mineral raw materials in China. At present, mining cities provide the country with more than 93% of coal, more than 90% of oil, more than 80% of iron ore, more than 70% of natural gas and non-metallic mineral resources.

China's mining cities can be categorized according to the degree of their mining development into youthful, primeval and elderly types, which can also be called growing, flourishing and declining types. In the existing prefecture, county level 178 mining cities, growth type 19, flourishing type 104, decline type 55. It should be noted that China's mining cities are in a dynamic and ever-changing state. Because through the western development there will be some new mining cities.

Transformation is the requirement of the special development law of mining cities

Mining industry has become the only or main pillar industry of mining cities. The object of mining development is non-renewable mineral resources, mining a little less. In a mining city within the scope of the extractable resources will one day be depleted. Mining city if there is no other pillar industries and alternative industries to support, it will inevitably rise to development and then to decline. This is an objective law that cannot be shifted by human will. Therefore, the transformation of mining cities is the same problem faced by many countries in the world.

China's mining city into the late 1980s, after decades of development, there are more than 400 mines due to resource depletion and the imminent closure of the pit, there are about 1/4 of the mining city mining resources are not enough, the decline in mining production, resulting in the decline of the city's economy, the city's financial strength greatly reduced. Fuxin City, Liaoning Province, with an annual output of 10.19 million tons of raw coal in 1987, fell to an annual output of 5 million tons in 2002, and the gross regional product in 2000 increased by only 0.2%. Jiaozuo City in Henan Province had an annual coal production of 6.9 million tons in its heyday, but it dropped to about 3 million tons in the 1990s. "During the Ninth Five-Year Plan period, Jiaozuo's economic growth averaged 3.5% per year. Dongchuan City in Yunnan Province has historically made important contributions to the development of China's copper industry, but due to the depletion of proved recoverable resources led to the bankruptcy and closure of the Dongchuan Mining Bureau, the city's establishment was withdrawn and assigned to Kunming City as a district, with 40% of the city's population of 300,000 being unemployed. The closure of the mines and the unemployment of some workers in the mining cities once caused some social problems.

In order to avoid "mine exhaustion and city decline", it is necessary to develop the successor industry and alternative industries, promote urban transformation, change the situation of urban development is overly dependent on the development of mineral resources, change the single mining industry mining city into a comprehensive city of diversified economy, solve the economic, social and environmental problems caused by this, and realize sustainable development. development.

Choice of transformation strategy of Chinese mining cities

(I) Transformation mode of mining cities

The transformation mode of mining cities in the world can be divided into two categories, one is "abandonment of mines", and the other is "expansion". "

The transformation mode of mining cities in the world can be roughly divided into two categories.

The city that adopts the transformation mode of "abandoning mining" is to implement the complete abandonment of the mining industry and take a new path. For example, the city of Little Gold Hill near Melbourne, Australia, utilized the original mine site to build a mining museum to develop the tourism industry, giving the city a new lease of life. Krakow, Poland, Colombia, near the capital of the salt mines are no longer mining, but the use of abandoned mine sites built underground salt mine museum and salt mine art gallery, so that tourism has become the pillar industry of these cities.

The cities that have adopted the "expanding" mode of transformation are those that continue to tap the potential of resources to develop the mining industry and at the same time, develop some other non-mining industries. For example, Houston in the United States belongs to this type of transition city, through the gradual development of high-tech industries to make the city get new development.

The transformation of China's mining cities is to take the "expanding" mode, that is, by strengthening the crisis mine search, continue to tap the potential of the mining industry at the same time, vigorously develop other successive industries, to achieve sustainable development.

(II) Mining city transformation mechanism mode

The world's countries on the transformation mechanism of the mining city of the choice of three modes: First, some countries in the European Union government-led model; Second, the United States, Canada, Australia and other countries of the market-led model; Third, Japan's government-led and market-led model combined.

The transformation mechanism of China's mining cities can be summarized as a combination of government-led and market-adjusted, and a transformation mechanism in which the state, cities and enterprises are linked up and down to coordinate and cooperate.

(C) industrial structure transformation mode

China's mining cities in the process of promoting the transformation, are focusing on promoting the optimization of industrial structure, accelerate the establishment of a modern industrial system, although the specific practices are not the same, but generally in the "industrial city", the primary, secondary and tertiary industries synchronous development of the road. In Jiaozuo City, Henan Province, the secondary industry accounted for 46.5% in 1990, 50.6% in 2000, 68.6% in 2010, and further increased to 69.7% in 2011. In the secondary industry, the common practice is to vigorously transform traditional industries and develop successive industries. The city of Shizuishan in Ningxia is following the idea of "making the primary industry special, the secondary industry strong and the tertiary industry excellent" to realize the overall transformation of the industry. Other mining cities are largely the same.

(D) mining city transformation strategy

(1) diversified development strategy. Mining cities in addition to continue to tap the resource potential of the development of the mining industry, but also to extend the chain of deep processing of mineral products and the development of non-mining industries as a pillar industry, and vigorously develop non-state-owned enterprises.

(2) moderate development strategy. Is to properly deal with the recent benefits of mining development and the long-term development of mining the relationship between the two. According to the mine has the amount of extractable resources, the annual mining volume is set at an appropriate limit, in order to extend the service life of the mine as far as possible, in order to win time for the city to develop the successor industry, promote the transformation of the city.

(3) Intensive management strategy. Through the integration of mineral resources and other resources, the integration and reorganization of small mines and small enterprises, reduce the waste of resources and improve the scale efficiency and competitiveness of the urban economy.

(4) Green mining city strategy. Implementation of the development and protection of the policy of equal importance, grasp the ecological restoration and protection, the construction of green mines, garden city, health city, harmonious city, to achieve a win-win situation for environmental protection and resource development.

(5) Science and education to develop the city strategy. Take the road of combining production, study and research, vigorously develop education, cultivate talents and promote scientific and technological innovation to provide impetus for the transformation of the city.

(6) building a nest to attract phoenix strategy. In order to expand the opening up, to attract external talent, technology and capital to enter the mining city to create the conditions, need to make efforts in the construction of the hard environment and the soft environment in two aspects. Only by building a good nest, in order to attract the phoenix.

(7) Mutual benefit strategy for cities and mines. Through the transformation, rationalize the relationship between the city and mining enterprises, a clear division of labor, and further strengthen cooperation between the government and enterprises in their respective roles, through the integration of resources, to achieve mutual benefit **** win.

(8) National support strategy. Mining cities in their own efforts to promote the transformation at the same time, but also to get the country's strong support. The state has published a list of 69 resource-exhausted cities (towns) in 3 batches, and issued the guidance on deepening the transformation of mining cities. 2007 to 2011, the Ministry of Finance has allocated 30.3 billion yuan of financial transfer funds, which has strongly promoted the transformation of mining cities.

The transformation of China's mining cities has achieved remarkable results

First, the industrial structure of mining cities has been optimized. China's current initial formation of "mining and non-mining *** with the development of" pattern, such as Fuxin City, Liaoning Province, has been dominated by a coal industry into the energy industry, agricultural products processing industry and new energy "three-legged stand" situation. According to relevant statistics, the state announced the first batch of Jiaozuo, Fuxin, Panjin, Baiyin, Pingxiang, Wuhan, Liaoyuan, Shizuishan, Daye and other resource-exhausted cities, mining output value of the proportion of GDP, from 18.3% in 2006 to 13.6% in 2009.

Secondly, the economy of mining cities is growing rapidly. According to relevant statistics, during the period from 2000 to 2010, the GDP of 10 resource-exhausted mining cities, including Jiaozuo, Fuxin, Panjin, Tongchuan, Wulumu, Dongchuan, Daye, Baiyin, Zaozhuang, and Jingdezhen, has grown at a rate higher than the national average. Jiaozuo and other 10 mining cities in the region's GDP reached 527.6 billion yuan in 2010, 114.25 billion yuan in 2000, 4.62 times, for the same period of the national GDP total increase of 4.01 times.

Thirdly, the financial situation of mining cities has improved significantly. Jiaozuo and other 10 cities in 2000, fiscal revenue of only 4.867 billion yuan, but in 2010 grew to 42.267 billion yuan, 8.68 times that of 2000, higher than the national growth rate of 6.2 times over the same period of time, in the country's total fiscal revenues accounted for the proportion of 0.36% rose to 0.50%.

Fourth, the living conditions of the residents of mining cities are gradually improving. According to the statistics of the National Development and Reform Commission, the average income of urban residents in Jiaozuo and other 10 cities has increased from 5014 yuan in 2000 to 15969 yuan in 2010, which is 3.18 times of that of 2000, while the national urban residents' income has increased by 3.04 times in the same period. The income of rural residents in Jiaozuo and other 10 cities increased from 2,107.5 yuan in 2000 to 6,272 yuan in 2010, or 2.97 times that of 2000, while the growth rate of the national rural residents' income during the same period was 2.62 times.

Fifth, the living conditions of mining city residents are gradually improving. According to the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), from 2007 to 2010, the demolition and relocation of sinkholes and shantytown renovation in 12 resource-exhausted mining cities, including Jiaozuo, Fuxin, Panjin, Wulumu, Dongchuan, Jingdezhen, Pingxiang, Baiyin, Daye, Liaoyuan, Baishan and Shizuishan, have been completed in an area of 14.23 million square meters, with about 280,000 households, and the housing conditions of the families in difficulty have been improved.

Sixth, the environment of mining cities has begun to improve. According to the National Development and Reform Commission, in the past four years, the first 12 resource-exhausted cities, such as Jiaozuo and Fuxin, have completed the treatment of a total area of 22,900 hectares, and reclaimed 1,719 hectares of arable land. The city's energy saving and emission reduction has achieved obvious results.

Several experiences in the transformation of mining cities

China's mining cities have accumulated some successful experiences and practices in the process of transformation, among which the following points are more important:

Firstly, the concept of innovation. Mining cities in the transformation process pay close attention to the concept of innovation, in the ideological aspects of the realization of a series of changes, from over-reliance on a single mining industry to rely on diversified industry changes, from the development of light protection to the development and protection of both changes, from self-enclosed to open to the outside world changes, from the state-owned economy to the state-owned and non-state-owned economy **** with the development of the changes, and strongly promote the transformation of the city's great development.

Second, integrated planning. In order to promote the transformation of mining cities in an orderly manner, the mining cities according to the National Development and Reform Commission to prepare the guidance of the transformation plan, combined with the layout of the country and the provinces and municipalities and the specific actual situation of the city, generally compiled a master plan for the transformation of the city, the city's functional positioning, the transformation goals, the transformation mechanism, the transformation of the driving force, the transformation of the pathway have clear provisions, so as to clarify the road map of the transformation work. By 2011, the transformation master plans of 44 resource-exhausted cities had passed the review and validation of the National Development and Reform Commission.

Third, tailor-made. Mining cities, according to their specific conditions, from a practical point of view, the correct choice to promote the transformation of the breakthrough. For example, Jiaozuo City, Henan Province, to make full use of the rich natural landscape resources and human resources to develop the tourism industry as a breakthrough in the transition, the formation of a world geopark Yuntai Mountain as the main body of the "five scenic spots" and "ten major attractions" of the tourism industry, in 2010 to receive visitors In 2010, the city received 19,589,900 tourists, with a tourism revenue of 14.7 billion yuan, twice as much as in 2006, accounting for 11.8% of the city's GDP, and has become a major pillar industry in Jiaozuo City.

Fourth, the project pull. Mining cities generally pay close attention to the project pull as the core driving force to promote urban transformation. Since 2007, Jiaozuo City, Henan Province, has promoted the implementation of 428 key projects, including the development of 310 successive industrial projects, 35 projects to improve people's livelihoods, 83 environmental governance and infrastructure projects, with a total investment of 130 billion yuan. Fuxin City, Liaoning to play a comparative advantage, in 2008 to 2010 in the product processing, hydraulic equipment, new casting, fluorine processing, plate processing and manufacturing, new materials and other six key industrial clusters, the new construction of more than 10 million yuan of projects 688 projects have been completed 367 projects in 2010 to achieve revenue of 15.7 billion yuan, accounting for the city's total industrial revenue above designated size of 40%.

Fifth, the development of borrowing. Mining cities in the transition process, in the full play of internal potential at the same time, and constantly take a variety of measures to attract external capital, technology and projects, with the help of external development, a strong impetus to the transformation of the city. Gansu Baiyin City, only between 2007 and 2010, the introduction of more than 500 investment projects, completed investment of 11.89 billion yuan. In 2010, the proportion of foreign raw materials increased from 41% in 2006 to 85%.

Sixth, the rainy day. Daqing City, Heilongjiang Province, as early as in the resource development in the heyday of the early 1992, began to plan for the development of successive industries, "the second venture". After more than 20 years of hard work, the city's economy has been gradually by the oil "one industry alone", to the oil-based, petrochemical-led, new materials, new energy, modern agriculture as the pillar industries, "diversified" transformation.

Finally, it should be noted that the transformation of China's mining cities has made significant achievements, but this is still preliminary, stage by stage. The transformation of mining cities is a long, gradual process, there are still a lot of realistic and historical difficulties and problems need to be resolved, so mining cities need to be long-term unremitting struggle, and solidly push forward the transformation of mining cities.