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China Urges End To Polluters' Tax Breaks »

Posted by: Alexia 2 years, 8 months ago

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The Chinese premier pledged Friday to phase out tax breaks and discounts on land and electricity for highly polluting industries, saying the country's environmental situation was grim and required urgent action. "Our country is a major coal producer and consumer, and reducing polluting emissions is a responsibility we should bear," Premier Wen Jiabao said.

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Alexia

Documentary filmmaker, interactive mediaist, with a background in theatre and writing. Avid non-fiction reader.

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Comments: 40

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Twistoflex
April 27, 2007, 3:39 p.m.
In November 2001 Dumbya certified China's accession into the WTO without securing any structural political, economic, labor, pension or environmental reforms.
Within a year, more than a million American jobs were vaporised. It was estimated that over a decade China would wipe out more than 15 million American jobs as a result of this arrangement. Dumbya sold out America for the lure of slave labor, where his have-more's could pollute with impunity.
China is being forced to recognize its missteps, but this could be largely cosmetic. Still, most scientific studies show that China is sitting on a time bomb of unprecedented human catastrophy if it does not institute reforms.
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pongping
April 27, 2007, 3:39 p.m.
There's money in pollution control.
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jeffery1
April 27, 2007, 3:51 p.m.
I will believe that China is concerned about our environment when they take action. One of the problems with their system is that it is not as centrally controlled as many in the West believe. There is a lot of control and corruption at the bottom that must be ferreted out by the top before anything beneficial can be done to control pollution and work toward sustainability. Then there is the fact that they have too many people to deal with. No small job, but it would be far worse had they not implemented the one child policy.
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OnlyTheTruth
April 27, 2007, 5:26 p.m.
Let's hope this is just the beginning. I'd like to see the more-developed countries give China technological help in becoming "green". It would benefit all of us; we all breath the same air.
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jumpmaster
April 27, 2007, 5:43 p.m.
I am not a big fan of tariffs but maybe we should impose tafiffs on all imported goods. The tariffs would be equal to all the state, local, and federal punitive fees that the American manufacturers have to endure.
Worker's comp, OSHA, EPA, insurance, breathing fees, walking fees, excise taxes, income taxes, etc, etc.
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bblair3
April 27, 2007, 6:15 p.m.
its about time that china's government as well as the rest of the world hold china's business practices to the same standards as American and some European countries, as far as enviromental regulations. These regulations, while import and vital, takes away large sums of money from the company. Money that could go on more things like R & D that will have direct effect on future projects and future ways to help produce technology that wont hurt the earth as much as tree hugging hippies would like us to. But something that will happen as result in making china's companies pay tax for pollution is a cut in total earned revenue which could possibly lead to higher prices and less demand for chinese manufacturing since price of production may occur from the money's allocated for regulating companies who pollute.
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Tyron
April 27, 2007, 11:54 p.m.
There is something that I just do not get: the Chinese are going to increase the tax burden of industries that they, the Chinese Government, own to help them spot polluting. Sence they eather own or control all industries, why do they not just stop?
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elel
April 28, 2007, 8:32 a.m.
Good for China. They are willing to try. Lets hope they continue.
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Star_Poet
April 28, 2007, 9:55 a.m.
F China!
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groingo
April 28, 2007, 10:02 a.m.
China talks it up good but to date has done virtually nothing and in fact recently stated that "economics comes before the environment".
I hope they rot in their own sludge.
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jaern
April 28, 2007, 10:08 a.m.
If China goes green, who else can the USA blame for this problem??
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NelsonR
April 28, 2007, 10:31 a.m.
One thing America did right was not signing the Kyota agreement as is. It there are exemptions for developing countries, china is considered developing, then the entire agreement was a sham. Either all are restricted fairly and equitably or there will never be an agreement.
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Agbayan1
April 28, 2007, 10:46 a.m.
Good for them!
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HMMace
April 28, 2007, 11:27 a.m.
Does that mean china will no longer pollute???