JV petrochemical plant relocated over environmental concerns

A US$5 billion refinery and petrochemical plant, a joint venture between Sinopec and Kuwait Petroleum Corp, has been forced to relocate due to "strong criticism in the community," the Financial Times reported. The originally proposed site of the plant in a heavy industrial zone in Pearl River estuary in Guangdong, had been chosen last year, but its proximity to a bird and wetland sanctuary, and to populated areas, brought it under criticism from delegates at Guangdong’s provincial people’s congress and environmental officials. The new site has not been publicly declared, but officials said it would most likely be in Zhanjiang, an industrial port in western Guangdong. "I think this reflects how Guangdong values environmental protection, the ecology and the opinions of our citizens," said Wang Yang, party secretary of Guangdong province.