Sense or nonsense? This year the UK will export to China 200,000 tons of…

Plastic waste

What’s going on?

China: spectacular diversity and change. Inspirational ideas from the 2005 GA Tour “Journey to the West” Sarah Maude and Adam Nichols, tour leaders.

Geographical Association Study Tour organised by the International Working Group (International Committee) In association with Ian Dickson Travel Service and The Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries

“The Journey to the West” GA Tour 2005

Change 1949 Communist State founded 1949 Communist State founded Communism/Maoism Communism/Maoism Communes – collective farming, rural poverty Communes – collective farming, rural poverty Work units, free housing, education and health care Work units, free housing, education and health care Job for life Job for life Iron Rice Bowl Iron Rice Bowl Hukou system (household registration) Hukou system (household registration) Cultural revolution Cultural revolution Suppression of free speech and beliefs Suppression of free speech and beliefs Restricted movement Restricted movement Limited contact with the rest of the world Limited contact with the rest of the world Slow, if any, change in the quality of life Slow, if any, change in the quality of life

Deng Xiaoping Era Revolutionary goals redefined Revolutionary goals redefined “To get rich is glorious” “To get rich is glorious” “Socialism with Chinese characteristics” “Socialism with Chinese characteristics”

Deng and reform Enterprise and the profit motive encouraged Responsibility system in agriculture Responsibility system in agriculture Rural enterprises Rural enterprises Rise of free markets Rise of free markets Opening up to the outside world, economically and culturally Opening up to the outside world, economically and culturally Export led growth Export led growth

Deng and reform Inward investment encouraged Inward investment encouraged Special Economic Zones Special Economic Zones Overseas Chinese renewed their links Overseas Chinese renewed their links Increasing affluence and quality of life Increasing affluence and quality of life One child policy One child policy

The New Millennium Rising prosperity for many Rising prosperity for many Increase in private ownership, including housing. Increase in private ownership, including housing. Ballooning trade surplus Ballooning trade surplus China joins WTO December 2001 China joins WTO December 2001

The New Millennium Huge city growth Huge city growth Decline of the work unit and associated “social security” safety net Decline of the work unit and associated “social security” safety net Decline of State Owned Enterprises Decline of State Owned Enterprises Hukou system weakened Hukou system weakened

The New Millennium Migration for work rising fast, Migration for work rising fast, Relaxation of restrictions – cultural, religious Relaxation of restrictions – cultural, religious Access to foreign media, fashion, the internet etc Access to foreign media, fashion, the internet etc Increasing internal and external tourism Increasing internal and external tourism

The New Millennium Some relaxation of the “One child policy” Some relaxation of the “One child policy” Rising concern for the environment? Rising concern for the environment? Most Chinese still live in rural poverty Most Chinese still live in rural poverty

ProvincePop. % rural / urban rural / urban p.a. growth % ethnic income (RMB) minorities Shaanxi36m 67 / 33 1,186 / 4, %0.6 Gansu25m 76 / 24 1,400 / 4, %8.3 Qinghai5.8m 64 / 36 1,490 / 5, % (2.5%) 44 Xinjiang18m (>90% in oases) 1,618 / 5, %61.4 China1,3b 64 / 36 Beijing12m 3,441 / 8,493 c. 2.5% 3m MWs? Shanghai17.7m 4,138 / 8,864 <1%0.4 (4.4mMW)

Beijing

China’s national bird; the crane

Olympic Village site, July 04

Migrant workers: driving force of urban / industrial growth

An increasingly globalised economy and cosmopolitan capital Picture taken inside the Palace Museum!

“Go West” 1999 Strategy to narrow disparities in levels of income and development between coastal and western provinces. Government Policy set out in 10 th and 11 th 5 year “plans”

“Go West” 10 th plan emphasised.. Infrastructure Infrastructure Attracting investment Attracting investment Environmental protection Environmental protection Attracting labour skills Attracting labour skills Linking coastal provinces to western ones. Linking coastal provinces to western ones.

11 th 5 year plan Change of emphasis – sustainability rather than just growth rate, spreading the prosperity to bring more balanced development Serving the people to improve the quality of life Continuing support for Centre and West; revitalisation of the NE

Xi’An – Shaanxi’s provincial capital

Loess plateau Only a short drive to the north of Xi’An

Farmers’ cave houses in loess

This is a kang, a family bed heated in winter by a fire burning underneath. This is inside the cave house.

Shaanxi Province development priorities 1. Agricultural development 1. Agricultural development 2. Afforestation 2. Afforestation 3. Technological renovation of cotton textile mills and printing and dyeing 3. Technological renovation of cotton textile mills and printing and dyeing 4. Transport infrastructure 4. Transport infrastructure 5. Coal processing technology 5. Coal processing technology 6. Development of coal-bed gas, copper and natural gas reserves 6. Development of coal-bed gas, copper and natural gas reserves 7. Manufacturing of business IT equipment 7. Manufacturing of business IT equipment 8. Development of electronic components industry 8. Development of electronic components industry 9. Production of herbal medicines 9. Production of herbal medicines 10. Designing and manufacturing of civilian aircraft (in government partnership) 10. Designing and manufacturing of civilian aircraft (in government partnership) 11. Tourism 11. Tourism

High Tech & high value farming

Xiwei Garden City, near Xi’an

Gansu Province development priorities Gansu Province development priorities 1. Agricultural processing & storage 1. Agricultural processing & storage 2. Afforestation 2. Afforestation 3. Development of a quality wine industry 3. Development of a quality wine industry 4. Planned development & use of water resources 4. Planned development & use of water resources 5. Modernisation of woollen fabric industry 5. Modernisation of woollen fabric industry 6. Transport infrastructure 6. Transport infrastructure 7. Production of ultra-high output graphite electrodes and carbon products 7. Production of ultra-high output graphite electrodes and carbon products 8. Production of natural gas chemicals 8. Production of natural gas chemicals 9. Manufacturing of drilling machines and oil field equipment 9. Manufacturing of drilling machines and oil field equipment 10. Electronic components 10. Electronic components 11 Tourism 11 Tourism

Deeply dissected loess in Gansu

Sensational sandstone scenery in Gansu

The new Xining to Lanzhou road along the Huang He valley

Rolling mill near Lanzhou

Evidence of closure of state-owned enterprises

Lanzhou

A copper mine

An ancient way of conveying agricultural produce by raft down the Yellow River (Hwang He) is now a tourist thrill

This group has used their inflated sheep hide raft to “get away from it all” on a small island in mid-stream

HEP generation

Labour intensive farming in the Huang He valley

Qinghai Province development priorities 1. Agricultural processing and storage 2. Afforestation 3. Development & conservation of water resources 4. Transport infrastructure 5. Exploitation, smelting and processing of copper, aluminium, zinc ore & potassium reserves 6. Development of salt lake resources an related products 7. Production of new types of building materials 8. Cultivation and processing of traditional Chinese and Tibetan medicinal herbs 9. Development of tourism

The Qinghai – Tibet plateau

Modern salt production in the Qaidam basin

Afforestation bordering a transport artery

Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region development priorities 1. Agricultural processing 2. Afforestation 3. Cultivation and processing of high-quality tomatoes 4. Cultivation of high-quality grapes and wine making 5. Rational development, utilisation and conservation of water resources 6. Transport infrastructure 7. Development of cotton fabric production 8. Construction of wind and solar power plants 9. Development of mineral resources 10. Tourism

Development of the tourist industry

Dune buggies for the “desert experience”

Hotel development at the foot of the Tian Shan mountains

Kazakh yurts in their Tian Shan summer pastures

Taking a cure

The geographical centre of mainland Asia

Grassland is easily degraded by overgrazing

Nothing is wasted!

Part of Xinjiang’s trade with Kazakhstan Tomatoes produced on a huge state farm near Urumqi

Vineyards and driers in the Turfan depression Most are table grapes or dried as raisins but value is added by turning it into wine

The grape harvest awaiting collection

Afforestation for dune stabilisation by an oasis

Prospecting for minerals in Gobi desert

Core-sampling in the desert

Oil production in Turfan

As seen on the VCD!

Province Water supply quantity/10 8 m 3 /a Surface Underground Others Total Water use quantity/10 8 m 3 /a Agriculture Industry Daily life Total Shaanxi Gansu Qinghai Xinjiang

For more information on water resources, see separate file entitled Water resource constraints on sustainable development in North West China Water resource constraints on sustainable development in North West China

Glaciers in Qinghai/Tibet are in rapid retreat

The headwaters of the Yantze whose discharge is in decline

Some agricultural expansion schemes have been ecological and economic disasters

Storms of unusual severity caused flash floods

Roads blocked by sheet wash debris

Where’s our grass gone?

Increasing public awareness of resource / environmental issues……..

……. may be overstated!

Xinjiang’s capital city: Urumqi in 1993

Urumqi 2005

The Uighur, Khazak and Uzbek people are Moslem

An Urumqi market

Ethnic diversity of the Language College staff

Julian & Sarah deliver an instant lecture on tourism geography. No lesson plan, no shared objectives, no formative assessment. BUT BRILLIANT!

The Xinjiang Normal University Geography Department specialises in the study of oases

 GEOSPACE/USGS 2006, Source ESA-School Atlas

Shanghai/Pudong Economy Economy GDP grew 85% between 1990 and 2001 Huge rise in the proportion of tertiary activities Now major high-tech centre Private business contribution to GDP rose from 18% in 1995 to 32% in 2002 Construction – “a frenzy” Construction – “a frenzy”

Shanghai/Pudong Way of life 24 / 7 city Way of life 24 / 7 city Social and cultural attitudes Social and cultural attitudes Traffic Traffic 180% rise in vehicles Environmental improvement Environmental improvement Striving to be the premier city and economic centre of East Asia. Striving to be the premier city and economic centre of East Asia.

The Bund 1990

Shanghai 2005

Pudong

THE PLASTIC BOTTLE CONUNDRUM British plastic recyclers pay c. £55 per ton British plastic recyclers pay c. £55 per ton Chinese companies are offering £120 per ton Chinese companies are offering £120 per ton At that price, British recyclers cannot make a profit. Some recycling factories have actually closed down At that price, British recyclers cannot make a profit. Some recycling factories have actually closed down A 26 ton container costs £500 to send to China. A 26 ton container costs £500 to send to China. Should containers return to China empty or full? Should containers return to China empty or full?