Beijing, China's capital, has been facing issues regarding resource shortage and population boom. (Photo : en.wikipedia.org)
The Beijing municipal government recently announced its heightened effort to keep the China capital's population below 23 million by 2020 as it faces shortage issues on water and other resources.
This is according to Beijing Vice Mayor Li Shixiang's statement during the ongoing two sessions of China's prime legislature and political advisory body.
"Beijing wants to restrict the population to no more than 23 million by 2020," the vice mayor said.
Li further noted that "Beijing is facing severe water shortage, as it is short of 1.5 billion cubic meters of water every year."
The vice mayor also pointed out that the government's south-to-north water diversion project is not a sufficient solution to the shortage issue.
"Beijing cannot solve the problem by itself, and a solution can only be worked out with a plan for the wider areas around Beijing," Li stressed.
"The coordinated development in Beijing and neighboring Tianjin Municipality and Hebei Province is imperative," he added.
In 2014, the city was recorded to have housed around 21.5 million individuals, failing the previously set target in 2005 which is to have a 2020 Beijing populace of only 18 million.
The city has also seen influx of migrants who seek job opportunities in the Beijing soil.
To keep the city running, its government officials have tapped outside resources as well as food supplies.
Li remarked that included in the outsourced commodities consumed by the city are electricity (70 percent), gasoline (40 percent), coal and natural gas (98 percent), vegetables (70 percent), pork (68 percent) and milk (46 percent).
