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7. Despite the trend for the percentage of GNP spent on pollution control to increase steadily in the three five-year plans since 1981, the actual amount of investment in each period fell short of the planned targets. For a detailed discussion on China's spending on environmental protection, see Kunmin, Zhang and Yuxing, Wang (eds.), Zhongguo huanjing baohu touzi baogao (Report on China's Investment on Environmental Protection) (Beijing: Qinghuadaxue chubanshe, 1992).Google Scholar However, it still falls short of the level of investment needed to clean up China which is estimated at around 2% of GNP.

8. The State Council's orders, which demonstrate the government's determination in the fight against pollution, include: “Guowuyuan guanyu kaizhan jiaqiang huanjing baochu zhifa jiancha yanli daji weifa huodong de tongzhi” (“Notice of the State Council on the commencement of strengthening the monitoring of enforcement of environmental protection laws and regulations to crack down on unlawful activities”) issued in March 1993, “Guowuyuan guanyu huanjing baohu ruogan wenti de jueding” (“Decision of the State Council on certain questions on environmental protection”) of August 1996; and a closure order issued in September 1996 for shutting down polluting factories in the country. See “Spotlight falls on polluters,” Beijing Review, Vol. 40, No. 18 (5–11 05 1997), p. 6.Google Scholar

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12. See Lo, C. W. H. and Leung, S. W., “Environmental protection and popular environmental consciousness in China,” in Cheng, J. Y. S. (ed.), China Review 1998 (Hong Kong: Chinese University Press, 1998), pp. 515–17.Google Scholar

13. The annual growth rate of Guangzhou between 1980 and 1990 was 12.2% while that between 1991 and 1995 was 19.86%. In 1995, Guangzhou's GDP was 124.3 billion yuan and per capita GDP was 19,000 yuan. Its GDP ranked third among the most developed cities in China, just behind Shanghai and Beijing. Guangzhou shi zhengfu (Guangzhou Municipal Government), Guangzhou shi huanjing baohu guihua (1996–2010) (The Environmental Plan of Guangzhou (1996–2010)) (Guangzhou: Guangzhou shi zhengfu, 1996).Google Scholar

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15. See Lo, C. W. H., “Environmental management by law in China: the Guangzhou experience,” The Journal of Contemporary China, No. 6 (Summer 1994), pp. 39–58Google Scholar; Lo, and Tang, , “Institutional contexts of environmental management”Google Scholar; Lo, , Tang, and Chan, , “The political economy of environmental impact assessment”Google Scholar; and Tang, , Lo, , Cheung, and Lo, , “Institutional constraints on environmental governance.”Google Scholar

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39. Most notably is the rejection of the GEPB's demand for the adoption of stricter environmental standards for assessing the environmental acceptability of development projects in the EIA exercise. Another GEPB initiative that has been turned down was the proposal that all proposals for major development projects should be studied by the GEPB prior to the selection of site and those failed to pass this scrutiny should not be allowed to proceed. This was considered by the planning and construction commission as an intrusion into their jurisdiction. Personal interviews with Wu Qianzhao, the Chief Engineer of the GEPB and other GEPB staff on various occasions in 1996–99.

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44. Ibid.

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50. See Haizhang, Can, “Guanyu woshi huanbao de xingshi he renwu” (“On the current situation and task of environmental protection in Guangzhou”), Guangzhou huanjing kexue (Guangzhou Environmental Sciences), Vol. 11, No. 2 (06 1996), pp. 1–4.Google Scholar

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55. Ibid. p. 137.

56. See Baoquan, Zeng, “Strengthening mass supervision,” p. 139.Google Scholar

57. Personal interview with Can Haizhang, Chief of GEPB, 3 January 1999.

58. Guangzhou shi huanjing baohu ju, Collection of Material, 1997, Vol. 3, p. 14.Google Scholar

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60. Ibid.

61. Ibid.

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64. See “Guo Xiangyang zai quanshi xiaoshou wuqian qiyou dongyuan dahuishang de jianghua, 29/9/1997” (“Speech by Guo Xiangyang in the Municipal Conference on mobilizing the sale and use of leaded petrol, 29 September 1997”), in Guangzhou shi huanjing baohu ju. Collection of Material, 1997, Vol. 3, pp. 57–60.Google Scholar

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69. Personal interviews with Lai Guangming, 21 January and 3 June 1999; and personal interview with staff of GRIEPS, 3 June 1999.

70. Personal interviews with Wu Qianzhao, formerly the Head of the Division of Construction Administration of GEPB which is in charge of EIA, and staff of GRIEPS on various occasions.

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