Dalian, a coastal city in northeast China's Liaoning Province, has won the title of "Global Top 500" given by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the city government announced yesterday.

Vice-Mayor Song Zengbin said that the UNEP officially informed Dalian of this honor recently. Dalian thus becomes the first city in China to win the title.

The award ceremony is slated for June 5 in Italy.

As an old industrial base of China, Dalian has successfully settled the contradiction arising from economic development, urban construction and environmental protection.

The city has moved 105 polluting enterprises out of the downtown area and at present, pollutants discharged by industrial enterprises are all up to the state standard, sources with the city environmental protection bureau said.

Compared with 10 years ago, the dust in the air has dropped by 35 percent, particulate matter by 85 percent, sulphur dioxide in the air by 26 percent, and oil and lead in sea area have been reduced by 16 percent and 97 percent, respectively.

Currently, the city can dispose of 70 percent of its domestic waste water and 90 percent of its garbage. The forest coverage rate in the city is 40 percent.

At the same time, the city has also scored marked progress in constructing infrastructure facilities. In recent years, 50 percent of its 2 million people have moved into new houses. In 1999, Dalian won an award given by the UN Center for Human Settlement.

The city has maintained a two-digit growth rate in economic development for many consecutive years.

(Eastday.com.cn 06/02/2001)