“What interest struggles lie behind the \"Linyi dispute\"?

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“The “Linyi dispute” has been going on for a week now; the whole country continues to pay attention to Linyi, and people everywhere are discussing it, observing the city’s policy trends and its determination to pursue transformation. 　　With a series of facts being clarified, the \"Linyi dispute\" surrounding environmental inspections and corrective actions has temporarily come to an end, but in-depth discussions on issues such as pollution control, transformation, and the relationship between environment and development continue. 　　An otherwise completely normal meeting aimed at making corrections triggered a huge uproar, and this incident itself is worth careful consideration. As the new environmental protection laws are being implemented across the country and enforcement and supervision are becoming more stringent, conducting an in-depth analysis of the \"Linyi dispute\" and reflecting on the issues it reveals holds significant importance that goes beyond the boundaries of Linyi itself and beyond the field of environmental protection as a whole. 　　Question 1: What interest struggles lie hidden behind the debate? 　　There are many discussions regarding pollution control in Linyi; some refer to it as the “Linyi model,” some as the “Linyi incident,” and others as the “Dilemma of Linyi.” Just from these different names, it can be seen that various parties have different interpretations. Let’s call it the more neutral and objective “Linyi dispute” for now. 　　The fact that a single interview and subsequent corrective actions triggered such significant disagreement and backlash is mainly because they touched on several sensitive issues: first, environmental protection; second, employment; third, development; and fourth, stability. These 4 topics are interwoven; placed anywhere, they will draw intense attention. 　　Some argue that Linyi’s stringent pollution control measures have affected employment, social stability, and financial stability. Based on the survey results, this connection is clearly far-fetched. However, amid the debate, this view did divert public attention and mislead public opinion. 　　In other words, at the beginning of this debate, environmental protection was hijacked, public opinion was hijacked, and local authorities were hijacked as well. Behind this lie complex conflicts of interest. 　　On the surface, this is a conflict between polluting enterprises and environmental protection agencies, a conflict between illegal enterprises and environmental protection laws. In fact, it is a struggle between two different development models and two different concepts of development; it is a conflict between local interests and overall interests, as well as a struggle between capital and **. 　　It is thus easy to see that the \"Linyi dispute\" appears to be an environmental issue, but is in fact an economic and social issue. The core of the debate seems to be whether to take stringent measures to address pollution, but in reality it is about whether to pursue transformation, and whether to enforce the new environmental protection laws and implement relevant central government policies. 　　Looking at this \"Linyi dispute,\" the public’s focus has generally evolved in the following way: at first, it was on how many people’s jobs were affected by the required rectifications; later, it shifted to whether polluting enterprises should be shut down; and eventually, it focused on the difficulties faced in the local area’s transformation. It is a process of gradually approaching the essence of the problem. 　　These polluting enterprises that have been shut down for rectification made huge profits when the economic conditions were favorable and when environmental regulations were lax. These days, as soon as they are caught, they cry foul in an attempt to maximize their own interests. 　　With stricter environmental regulations, companies are not only unwilling to bear the costs necessary to ensure their employees’ livelihoods; they also shift the social responsibilities that should fall on them to society and to **, attempting to use issues such as employment as leverage in their confrontations with **. This is a manifestation of evading responsibility. 　　Amidst these cries of injustice, a fundamental fact is easily overlooked. That is, what exactly is the reason behind these severely polluting enterprises falling into trouble? Ultimately, it is not the local authorities’ stringent pollution control measures that are to blame, but rather the fact that the relevant enterprises have for a long time neglected environmental protection and repeatedly engaged in illegal production. 　　It has turned out that we cannot rely solely on these heavily polluting enterprises to create jobs, nor can we depend on companies that ignore or even harm the public interest to contribute financially. On the contrary, only through strict law enforcement can the concept that compliance with the law is a fundamental requirement be conveyed to enterprises; only then can enterprises sustain their development, and can the local economy and employment have a stable foundation. 　　Through the comparison between short-term and long-term interests, local and overall interests, as well as superficial and fundamental interests, it is believed that our society will become increasingly adept at making sound calculations – more precise assessments – and that the public will increasingly understand the importance of considering ecological and health aspects. 　　Question 2: Is aggressive rectification an environmental protection \"Great Leap Forward\"? 　　In the “Linyi debate,” some people compared environmental improvement to a brake, arguing that applying gentle brakes is better than applying sudden brakes. Following this logic, some people have referred to Linyi’s approach as \"shock therapy\" or \"rapid pollution control measures\", with some even calling it the \"Great Leap Forward\". 　　Here, let’s set aside for the time being whether this metaphor is appropriate. To argue that \"gradual braking\" is better than \"sharp braking\", two basic premises must be established: first, \"gradual braking\" must be effective at bringing the vehicle to a stop ； Second, there must be enough braking distance ahead. 　　Public opinion has noted that among the 57 enterprises that were shut down for rectification, some had been discharging pollutants illegally for a long time, while others carried out illegal construction; many of them had been investigated in the past, some even more than 20 times, yet their environmental problems remained unresolved until they were shut down this time. In other words, the local authorities have already given these polluting enterprises sufficient opportunities to take corrective action, but it has not worked. 　　Due to enterprises’ long-term excessive pollution discharge, Linyi faces severe environmental problems, and urgent action is needed to address them; no longer can there be a long period of time for delayed responses. If things remain as they are, Linyi’s environmental problems will worsen, ultimately delaying the opportunities for improvement and development. 　　From another perspective, \"soft braking\" and \"sharp braking\" are not actually contradictory. Microscopically, imposing an ‘emergency brake’ on individual heavily polluting enterprises is equivalent to applying a ‘brake tap’ to the extensive mode of development at the macroscopic level. 　　In this case, Linyi ordered 57 enterprises to halt production for rectification, rather than ordering them to shut down. These companies are permitted to resume production once they bring their operations into compliance with regulations. Strictly speaking, this doesn’t even qualify as a “sudden halt.” 　　Data from Linyi City show that from January to May this year, the total profits and taxes generated by 57 enterprises that were shut down for rectification accounted for only 2.8%, while those 26 enterprises that remained shut down contributed just 1%. Reports claiming that Linyi’s recent shutdowns were carried out \"without regard for consequences\" or \"without considering costs\" are clearly an exaggeration. 　　We need to pay attention to the phenomenon that as environmental enforcement becomes stricter, some polluting enterprises immediately rise up to oppose it and complain loudly. 　　The reason for this is not that current environmental law enforcement and supervision are too strict, but that they used to be far too lax and lenient. Since gentle approaches won’t solve the problem, decisive action must be taken when necessary. 　　Under the new environmental protection laws, the increased enforcement of environmental regulations in some areas at present cannot be considered a \"great leap forward\" in environmental protection; at most, it represents a return to normal environmental enforcement practices, thereby upholding the dignity of the law. 　　Judging from the environmental conditions in some areas, even with the current level of efforts to address pollution, the pace of pollution control may not be fast enough to keep up with the increasing rate of pollution, and the results achieved may not meet the public’s expectations. 　　A fundamental fact is that old debts remain unpaid while new ones accumulate; without accelerating efforts, increasing intensity, and adopting forceful measures, it will be impossible to reverse the trend of environmental degradation at its root. 　　For those who say that Linyi’s aggressive efforts to control pollution represent an \"economic boom\" in environmental protection, they have not fully realized the severity of environmental pollution in some areas, nor have they understood the significant changes that the implementation of the new environmental protection laws has brought to environmental law enforcement and supervision. 　　If there are still those who regard this as an environmental “Great Leap Forward,” then what China currently lacks is precisely such a “Great Leap Forward.” 　　Three questions: Are there any shortcuts to transformation and upgrading? 　　Looking back, the “Linyi controversy” was not a bad thing for Linyi’s future development; it wasn’t detrimental to cities like Linyi whose economies urgently need transformation and upgrading. 　　Linyi is not an isolated case. In today’s China, there are countless cities like Linyi that urgently need strong pollution control measures and transformation and upgrading. 　　In this sense, this “Linyi dispute” holds significance that goes beyond Linyi itself. It provides both a concrete example of effectively promoting pollution control and a true depiction of the challenges to be faced during the transition period. 　　Today, more and more places have reached a consensus that, as constraints related to resources and the environment become more severe, the previous development model based on excessive use of resources and environmental exploitation can no longer be sustained; transformation has become inevitable. 　　At the same time, with the continuous development of the economy and society, the public’s demand for improved environmental quality is growing ever stronger. The development of any enterprise, industry, or region that goes against the public’s desire to improve environmental quality will see its path of growth narrow increasingly, until it eventually becomes unsustainable. 　　Are there any shortcuts to transformation and upgrading? An uneven industrial structure adjustment is likely a challenge that many regions cannot avoid: in some areas, there is excessive production capacity, and outdated production methods are widespread; such industries are mostly at the bottom of the industrial chain, resulting in high consumption, severe pollution, and low efficiency. 　　To change this situation, mere patchwork fixes are not enough; major reforms are necessary, sometimes even drastic ones. Some elements need to be phased out, others require renovation and relocation, and still others need to be upgraded or transformed – none of these tasks can be accomplished easily. 　　Based on the development practices in various regions at home and abroad as well as in different industries, it is evident that environmental protection does not hinder economic development; on the contrary, it possesses unique advantages during economic transformation and can play a role in optimizing economic growth. 　　Compared to other approaches to driving transformation, which offer greater flexibility, environmental policies, laws, regulations, and standard systems are more rigid; some of them are even mandatory, and they play a more significant role in facilitating transformation and structural adjustment. 　　In Shandong Province, there are similar vivid examples. Under the pressure of increasingly stringent environmental protection standards implemented in stages, Shandong’s papermaking industry has achieved overall transformation and upgrading; this has not only **reduced environmental pollution** but also led to a geometric increase in the industry’s overall strength. 　　Overall, the escalation of environmental protection measures has not led to an economic downturn. Data shows that from January to May, Linyi City recorded the second-highest growth rate in general public budget revenue in the province. The proportion of tax revenue in total fiscal revenue ranked third in the province, while fixed-asset investment increased by 14.8%. Over time, the role of environmental protection in improving the quality of economic development will become increasingly evident. 　　Of course, just like Linyi, the challenges are enormous for any city seeking transformation; it will have to deal with issues related to finance, employment, development, etc. This puts to the test the political wisdom and determination of the local Party committee and government in pursuing such transformation. 　　It’s not hard to imagine that in this controversy, Linyi City—particularly its environmental protection authorities—faced tremendous pressure. In the face of doubts and accusations, the local ** authorities and environmental protection departments did not lose their composure and remained as determined as ever. Such determination is particularly valuable for driving transformation. 　　At a time when the environmental situation remains grave and environmental rule of law continues to be strengthened, this is a demonstration of respect for environmental laws, for the laws of development, for the ecological environment, and, above all, for public health. (End)