Page 166 - Feasibility Study of New Media Technology on Constructing Online Public Sphere

Feasibility Study of New Media Technology
on Constructing Online Public Sphere

‘In the face of such public opposition, we need to careful reconsider of the project.

We should look at the problem using the principles of the scientific development,
democratic decision-making, and valuing public opinion’ (Hung, 2013, p.50).

Figure 26. A photo of the PX project relocation, from Southern Metropolis Daily.
It showed that government’s active response to a public event like the PX plant
case could gain support from the general public and prompt democratic participation,
such as in the public hearing. In my questionnaire, it also explored the public’s view

on the final outcome of the PX plant case, and 95.24% were satisfied with the govern-
ment’s decision.
On 18 December, Ta Kung Pao released the news of the relocation of PX project
from Xiamen to Gulei Peninsula in Zhangzhou. On 19 December, the People’s Daily
published an article titled ‘The construction of the Xiamen PX project: continue, stop

or relocate?’ Stating that ‘experts from various domains agreed that relocate PX project
to the west side of the Straits is the best choice’ (Huang, 2010, p.35). After a 6-month
consideration period, the Xiamen municipal government finally announced in Decem-

ber that the plant would relocate to Gulei Peninsula in the neighbouring Zhangzhou
city, and that the investors’ losses would be paid for by the government. This decision
was formally approved by China’s Environment Protection Ministry on 20 January
2009.

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