China has failed to resolve the challenges of natural resource exhaustion

effectively. Do you agree?

Challenges here refer not only to the problem of natural resource exhaustion,
but also its negative aftereffects on the country. Natural resources referred
here are mainly energy fuels, fresh water supply, timber and other minerals
that China has in abundance at least formerly. Unbridled growth of the
Chinese economy since 1978 has resulted in rapid depletion of natural
resources within the country. Natural resource exhaustion has led to
consequences such as energy shortages, environmental degradation, and
health problems for resource imports. These are in turn problems that could
impede the sustainability of Chinese economic growth, even social and
political stability. There is no certain answer to the statement as Chinas
measures to resolve resource shortages are still ongoing and have yet
fulfilled their intended results. Nevertheless, the Chinese have made
significant headway at managing the problem, the situation would have been
much worse without any attempts to remedy it.
Resources-management policies by the far-sighted and decisive Chinese
leadership have resulted in lesser wastage. Under the former premier Zhu
Rongji, logging of old forests are banned while an ambitious reforestation
program is implemented. Chinas State Environmental Protection Agrency
(SEPA) is given vast power to deal with resource depletion within the country.
The use of high sulphur coal is also heavily taxed so that industries would
resort to suing cleaner burning fuels. Special loans are extended by the state
banks to firms that practice the proper environmental protection measures.
Resource exhaustion that affects Chinas energy supply is under strong
governmental control as they energy sector is state-owned. National
vulnerabilities from resources exhaustion are mitigated as China is the
worlds sixth largest producer of crude oil and the worlds largest producer of
coal. Extensive R&D projects by Chinese energy companies, backed by the
government, have been conducted with some successes on the
enhancement of energy-usage efficiency and environmental protection.
Coals are mined with new technology that enables close to 75% recovery
rate for the underground mining sites. Control over energy resources also
means that the government could charge relatively lower prices for their
sale, hence protecting the people from price hikes, eliminating a major cause
for social discontent.
Development of alternative sources of energy also ameliorates the
seriousness of the energy resources crisis. China is the worlds largest
investor on the search and utilization of renewable energy. Construction of
the Three Gorges Dam, along with several other smaller dams, attests to
governments determination to resort to hydroelectricity to satisfy mounting
energy demands. The government also plans to build nuclear plants to

supply power to the cities of Southern China. Under governmental

encouragement, wind and solar power generators are becoming popular
even in private households, especially for those in the countryside and
interior China.
Proactive diplomatic and trade measures have been sought to resolve the
resource exhaustion. Strong ties have been forged with countries in Central
Asia and Africa to secure rights to extract crude oil, natural gas and other
mineral resources. Myanmar, one of Chinas allies, is responsible for
supplying the country with timber and certain precious metals. China is on
good terms with Australia as the latter is worlds foremost supplier of
uranium. On the other hand, the government ahs purchased several other
overseas energy companies to capitalize on their resources and extraction
expertise. China has also staked strong claims on resource-rich territories
such as the oil fields of East China Sea, the Spratly and Parcel Islands.
Meanwhile, governmental measures at resolving water shortages have
attained limited success. Water Protection Law is made more stringent in
2008, to prevent its infringement by errant businessmen and corrupted
officials. Heavy fines are imposed on top company executives whose
industrial wastes have polluted waterways in China. Nevertheless, Chinas
fresh water shortage remains acute. Not only the industries, farms and
households too are responsible for the massive pollution to the countrys
rivers and lakes. To ensure fresh water supply for Beijing during its hosting of
the 2008 Olympic Games, numerous towns and counties around the Chinese
capital suffered from drought.
The government has made only limited achievements at curbing the
undesirable effect of the resource exhaustion from the earlier phase of
Chinas economic development. Reforestation and the resettlement of oases
could not completely stop the process of desertification in much of Northern
China. Such has resulted in air polluted water are not entirely resolved, even
as tens of thousands have died of cancer. Chinas swindling supply of coal
has caused Premier Wen Jia Bao to urge the people to cut back on using the
air-conditioning and travelling.
However, continued high economic growth has resulted in Chinas inability to
decisively stem the exhaustion of natural resources. Energy demands have
been raised consistently due to rapid urbanization and greater industrial
activities over the years. Even as the composition of coal use has shrunken
from 76% to 66% between 1990 and 2002 overall energy consumption has
increased by more than 50%. This is complicated by the fact that Chinese
employment of their energy resources highly inefficient. Proliferation of
farmlands, the construction of highways and other infrastructures in the
inner provinces, are often cited as major reasons for the loss of forested
tracts, causing further desertification and soil erosions. Chinas Go West

Policy to develop the interior provinces also resulted in the continued

exploitation of whatever is left of the countrys meager resources.
In conclusion, while the Chinese have achieved some significant successes at
resolving their resource shortages, they are nonetheless fighting to
ameliorate mounting losses rather than reclaiming lost wealth. Unless
domestic demands are drastically lowered or viable alternatively are
discovered, Chinas natural resource exhaustion will remain as the countrys
perennial woe.