$9.7b price tag for landmark Tianjin eco-city

Officials give assurance that project will cater to all sectors of society to promote harmony
Chua Chin Hon, Straits Times 7 May 08;

TIANJIN - THE ambitious eco-city being jointly built by Singapore and China in this northern port city will cost about 50 billion yuan (S$9.7 billion), officials here said yesterday, while giving the assurance that the project will not benefit only the rich.

This is the first time an official price tag has been disclosed for the landmark project, the biggest bilateral venture between Singapore and China since the Suzhou Industrial Park in the early 1990s.

Unconfirmed reports in the Chinese media had previously estimated the cost of the eco-city at 30 billion yuan.

Mr Lin Xuefeng, vice-chairman of the Sino- Singapore Tianjin Eco-city Administrative Committee, told a press conference here the project would cost about 50 billion yuan to build.

He added, however, that this preliminary estimate could vary, depending on the projected cost tabled by the Sino-Singapore joint venture company building it.

Environmental awareness is growing in China, especially among the property-owning middle class. But the poor and those living in less developed regions continue to struggle with the fallout from all-out economic growth, such as polluted air and poisoned rivers.

Asked if this flagship project will benefit only those who can afford to live there, Mr Lin said planners will draw on the experience of Singapore's Housing Board to ensure that residents from a wide spectrum of society are housed in the eco-city.

'Social harmony is first and foremost a housing issue,' he added. 'We hope to create a harmonious city that is suitable for different sectors of society.''

According to a draft master plan released yesterday, at least 20 per cent of homes in the eco- city will be public and subsidised. The 2,000 villagers who have to relocate for the project will also be guaranteed jobs and housing in the new city.

The overall population of the city will be kept at around 350,000, though there are no plans to restrict the number of cars, said Dr Dong Ke, a senior urban planner with the China Academy of Urban Planning and Design.

Instead, planners hope to reduce residents' reliance on cars by setting up an efficient public transport network and by designing walkways linking homes, shops and public spaces.

Another highlight of the plan is the proposed building of a new university focused on environmental technology.

Mr Lin said the university would be vital in providing the technical expertise and manpower required for the eco-city, though it has yet to get the official green light from Beijing.