Joint efforts

The move was in line with comments made by President Xi Jinping when he visited Yichang and Wuhan, capital of Hubei, in April to promote the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

Proposed in late 2016, the economic belt covers 11 provinces and municipalities, including Hubei, Hunan, Shanghai and Chongqing, and is home to about 40 percent of China's population. The area also accounts for 40 percent of national GDP.

After spending two days visiting the Three Gorges Dam and cities along the river, Xi said joint efforts would be required to protect the aquatic environment. He also warned against excessive exploitation of the river's resources.

Guo believes that environmental protection and economic development are not contradictory concepts－instead, they offer a chance for change.

Despite last year's decline in revenue and investment, Yichang's GDP growth began to pick up in the first quarter－although it was still lower than during the same period last year－thanks to the higher percentage of GDP generated by the manufacturing sector and service industry.

Moreover, the air quality in the city is already showing signs of improvement.

"In 2016, Yichang ranked at the bottom of the national air quality list. But last year, it improved greatly, and we recorded 258 days with 'good' air quality," Guo said.

Hubei Sanning Chemical Industry Co, a private enterprise that has 10 billion yuan in assets and employs 5,000 people, is upgrading its manufacturing processes to raise standards and boost environmental protection.