Billion dollar paraxylene plant in Xiamen likely to be relocated amid protests
Write:
Radcliffe [2011-05-20]
Work on the billion-dollar paraxylene (PX) plant in Chinese port of Xiamen is expected to be relocated elsewhere, following sustained and rare protests from residents who labelled it an "atomic bomb. Work on the project was stopped in May last year amid noisy protests that included up to one million mobile phone text messages to government officials. The 800,000 tpa PX unit, to be built at an investment of 10.8-billion yuan (US$1.4 bln), was to be located barely 7 kilometres (4 miles) from downtown Xiamen and too close to residential areas and schools.
In communist ruled China, this is a rare protest; as generally, the communist rulers suppress any voices of dissent. The plant was approved by regulators last year and was already under construction.