Download
The prostitution crackdown in Dongguan, Guangdong province, that began early this year has not affected the city's economy, a senior local government official said.
The news refutes reports during the crackdown that the sex trade was a major driver of the city's economy.
In an interview aired by China Central Television on Tuesday, Dongguan Mayor Yuan Baocheng said some key economic indexes, including industrial electricity consumption and exports, showed increasing momentum in the first three months of this year.
"I have always understood that the crackdown on prostitution will not largely affect local economic development, given that the illegal sex industry accounted for only a small percentage of the local economy," Yuan said.
A three-month sex-trade crackdown since February, following CCTV's exposure of rampant prostitution in Dongguan - a manufacturing and trade city in the Pearl River Delta - raised concern over a possible post-crackdown economic slowdown.
During the crackdown, hundreds of entertainment venues, including massage parlors and hotels, were closed, and a number of local officials were put under investigation for alleged involvement in the sex industry.
But "preliminary economic statistics in the first quarter of this year are beyond our expectation", Yuan said.
Dongguan's industrial power consumption increased by about 13 percent year-on-year in March, indicating an active manufacturing activity, Yuan said.
"Exports, which are yet to be officially announced by the customs authority, also had a good performance in the first three months," Yuan said.
"Frankly, I was surprised to learn that the illegal sex trade industry had become so rampant in Dongguan. We had to admit that such a social evil did exist in the city, and we had to work out measures to tackle the problem," Yuan said.
Early media reports estimated that at least 300,000 people worked in Dongguan's sex industry, and that the sector combined with related services could account for about 10 percent of the local economy.
But Yuan said that the hotel and entertainment industry along with massage services made up only 1.5 percent of the city's economy, or about 8.3 billion yuan ($1.34 billion).
"The entertainment industry was not all related to the illegal sex trade industry. We have never calculated how much the prostitution industry contributed to the economy," Yuan said.
Yuan said Dongguan's economy will maintain a stable performance this year, as the city has developed a solid foundation in industrial transformation over the past few years.
The city's economy is expected to grow by 9 percent year-on-year in 2017, the local government said. Altogether 156 large key projects are planned to drive the economy this year.
Lin Jiang, head of the public finance and taxation department of Lingnan College at Sun Yat-sen University, said Dongguan's economy will maintain its upward momentum in the years ahead if the traditional manufacturing industries relying heavily on processing trade are upgraded and more high-tech projects are introduced to the city.
"Dongguan should make utmost efforts to upgrade its traditional manufacturing industry by giving priorities to high-tech and value-added projects," said Lin, who is also a senior consultant to the Dongguan government, reflecting a strong economy
Dongguan's exports are expected to grow by 5 percent year-on-year in 2017, after realizing a 6.9 percent annual increase to $90.86 billion last year.
Questions:
1. Who is the mayor of Dongguan?
2. According to early reports, how many people worked in Dongguan’s sex trade?
3. The city’s economy is expected to grow by what percentage?
Answers:
1. Yuan Baocheng.
2. 300,000.
3. 9%.
About the broadcaster:
Lance Crayon is a videographer and editor with China Daily. Since living in Beijing he has worked for China Radio International (CRI) and Global Times. Before moving to China he worked in the film industry in Los Angeles as a talent agent and producer. He has a B.A. in English from the University of Texas at Arlington.
重磅推荐:如何避开雅思听力考试8大陷阱
复习指南:提高雅思阅读速度的三点建议
重磅推荐:雅思口语考试为什么说很简单
高中生对战雅思写作:五大误区及对治方法
雅思听力考试原则:你记住了吗?
雅思考官最讨厌什么样的回答
雅思口语考试备考之三步“BE计划”
考官提醒:考生写作运用语法要得当
雅思写作:如何表达不会的单词
加油站:短期突破雅思词汇需注意的三个方面
加油站:雅思
加油站:教你练习雅思口语的十个建议
复习指南:6大个性化答题法决战雅思口语
科学掌握雅思词汇的三个学习方法
考官提示:最易忽视的2个雅思口试流程
雅思专项指导:如何展开大作文主体段
名师指导:雅思口语考试三大类分数段
复习指南:短期突破雅思词汇三步走
雅思阅读加分法宝:快速阅读
重磅出击:中学生备战雅思阅读全攻略
打破雅思写作提分难的“魔咒”
雅思口语宝典:考试流程里的秘密
孙子兵法“风火林山”如何用于雅思考试
加油站:2010年10月9
名师点金:雅思写作中代词使用点拨
2010年雅思考试写作高中考生犯错列表
雅思口语秘籍:六招让你赚足“印象分”
高中生学雅思要重视细节积累
重磅出击:雅思口语2010年最新变革
雅思口语偏方:在发牢骚中学英语
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |