China's industrial revolution a great leap into polluted water

[dArKeR]

By Jonathan Fenby
THE OBSERVER , London
Wednesday, Aug 18, 2004,Page 9

For all the imagery of cloud-shrouded mountains, rocky gorges and graceful rivers, China has never paid much attention to preserving its environment. Taoists advocated going with the natural flow but, from the early emperors to chairman Mao Zedong (???), the emphasis was on mastering nature -- both from necessity and as a symbol of man's superiority.

Now the battle between the world's most populous nation and its environment has reached an unprecedented pitch, posing fundamental questions for the leadership in Beijing.

Experts calculate the price of the damage China's environment is suffering at from 5 percent to 12 percent of GDP -- the flip side of its emergence as a world economic power. On one side lies the bounding growth -- official figures show a 9.7 percent rise in the first half of this year -- on the other is a looming major disaster.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/edit/archives/2004/08/18/2003199220

It's all true. I've seen it all myself! Thank the moral American Coporations and the Bush Crime Family!