Steel producer to reduce output by half

A worker prepares to operate to shut down the valve of the No. 4 blast furnace of Beijing Shougang Group on Tuesday, January 1, 2008. The plant extinguished the fire in one of its four blast furnaces on Saturday. [Photo: Xinhua]

The Chinese government promised to make Beijing an "ecological city" with "green hills, clear water, grass and blue skies" after it won the 2008 Olympic bid.

As one of the efforts made by the Chinese government to improve Beijing's air quality, Shougang Group began in 2005 to relocate its facilities to Hebei Province, some 200 km east of Beijing. The new plant will be completed in 2010.

After the removal, the old factory site will be developed into a complex for tourism and entertainment, cultural business, commercial and residential compound with an expanded area of 856 hectares from 707 hectares, according to the blueprint.

Some landmark industrial constructions and facilities will be remained as a record for the "steel city", said Zhu.