China's first nuclear weapons research and production base in the northwestern Qinghai Province has been declassified and opened to tourists.

 

"The underground headquarters of the nuclear weapons research and production base has remained a curiosity to many people. Now they can see the 'nuclear city' for themselves," said Zuo Xumin, an official with the Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture where the base is located.

 

"The base will be developed into a key travel site, and it will become a platform for spurring the patriotic spirit of Chinese people," Zuo said.

 

Known as "Atomic Town," the base was the birthplace of China's first atomic and hydrogen bombs. It was built in 1958 on the grassland in the north region of Qinghai, covering more than 1,100 sq km.

 

It was closed by the government in 1987 to support the demands for a complete ban on and the destruction of the world's nuclear weapons. It was handed over to the local government in 1993.

 

The headquarters of the base built with reinforced concrete comprises eight large rooms 9.3 meters below the ground.

 

Tourists can visit the rooms, which originally held a research laboratory, a command room, electricity generation room and telegraph transmitting room, but are now almost empty.

 

A museum has been built at the base, now named Xihai Township, where old telegraphs, telephones, machines, clothes, bowls and food coupons belonging to the people who worked at the base are exhibited.

 

Local government began in April to build a memorial and a park with a total investment of 72.48 million yuan (US$9.4 million) at the former base. They are expected to be completed in October 2008.

 

Hotels and restaurants are also being built in the township.

 

Last year, the government allocated 93 million yuan (US$12 million) to better preserve the base.

 

The money was spent on building exhibition halls, renovating buildings and improving the natural environment, according to the Qinghai Provincial Cultural Heritage Bureau.

 

(Xinhua News Agency May 4, 2007)