The improvement of ecological environment will be a focus in Zhangjiagang’s development plan in the next three years, the CPC Zhangjiagang municipal committee announced at a conference on July 15.

According to the announcement, the sewage treatment rate in Zhangjiagang’s urban area, satellite towns and villages should be increased to 98 percent, 90 percent and 60 percent, respectively, by 2015. Three water circulating systems will be set up in eastern, middle and western areas. The forest coverage rate and urban green coverage rate will rise to 20 percent and 41.5 percent, respectively. By then, the city will have an essential eco-space with forests, green areas and wetlands.

“We have set the goal of being advanced in China and benefiting the people. We will promote conservation culture in experimental areas and build Zhangjiagang into a more modern, more beautiful and happier port city,” said an official of the city. The city will also make pollution prevention efforts by strengthening supervision on enterprises with water pollution risks and sewerage treatment factories, and replacing more than 30 percent of buses with clean energy vehicles.