The proposed Guangdong Nansha refinery could be one of the biggest oil plants in Asia, but Hong Kong lawmakers and environmentalists are protesting over web censorship about its negative impact
Jonathan Watts, guardian.co.uk 20 Mar 09;
Hong Kong lawmakers are demanding greater transparency on the environmental impact of a huge new petrochemical project that is allegedly being protected from scrutiny by Chinese government censors.
The Guangdong Nansha refinery will be one of the biggest oil plants in Asia if it goes ahead, but Hong Kong is being kept in the dark about the approval process despite its close proximity.
Unease in the territory and surrounding regions has been heightened by reports that mainland censors are blocking negative news and comments about the project's environmental impact assessment.
According to local media, the proposed $5bn refinery and oil storage centre will be the biggest joint investment project on the mainland. Its main partners, Sinopec and Kuwait Oil Company, say the plant will have a capacity to handle 300,000 barrels of oil per day.
Environmentalists warn that the planned site at the mouth of the Pearl River is an ecologically sensitive wetland. Before construction goes ahead, they and the Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department are calling for close scrutiny and public consultation about the possible consequences.
But debate on the subject appears to have been curtailed. Chinese internet sites are buzzing with what is purportedly a leaked blocking order from the propaganda authorities, informing website managers to set keyword filters so the subject of environmental impact assessment of this project is not discussed.
Officials in Sinopec and the environment protection bureau in Guangzhou - the capital of the mainland's Guangdong province -
declined to comment.
Several websites related to this topic appeared to have been blocked yesterday, but if there was a ban it was far from comprehensive. Old stories on the subject remained online on the Xinhua and Guangzhou Evening websites.
The Hong Kong legislator, Audrey Yu, said she was aware of the blocking order and called on the mainland authorities to be more transparent.
"The EIA report should be made public so that those in Hong Kong can also have access and respond to the issues raised. However there appears to be a shroud of mystery covering up the details. I understand that the contents of the EIA will not be made public and the consultation will also be limited in time," she said.
Greenpeace called for greater transparency, noting that part of the problem was the different systems of governance on the mainland and the territory. "There should definitely be more information available to the public," said Edward Chan, the group's campaign manager in Hong Kong. "Hong Kong is nearer to Nansha than Guangzhou, but because of the one-country two-systems arrangement, Hong Kong people are not involved in the approval process."
Other environmental NGOs said the Nansha project was being quietly opposed by neighbouring regions, but would probably be forced through by the local government and the state on the grounds of economic development and energy security.
Wen Bo of the Pacific Environment NGO said it would be no surprise if the authorities blocked debate about the issue. "It has become routine to block reports on projects that will generate national attention," he said.
