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Beginning in 2008, the Hefei’s Environmental Protection Bureau (EPB)
and related government departments markedly increased the number of do-
mestic “study tour” exchanges with other Chinese cities involving environ-
mental management and pollution mitigation, as well as international
knowledge-seeking exchanges and partnerships involving the same subject
matter. 10 From 2006 to 2009, Hefei government officials increasingly reported
their intentions to transition to a substantially more environmentally conscious
development model. In 2009 the Hefei EPB implemented a range of new
management measures targeting high-polluting industries, such as making
several emission sources liable to fines, and subjecting many others to
mandatory government inspection. 11 Hefei also held its first environmental
protection exhibition that year (Liu, 2009). For example, in 2009 Hefei’s EPB
was given “a free hand to veto any business projects that are not environ-
mentally viable,” resulting in several development projects being turned down
by the city. An English translation of a statement by the Hefei mayor was
quoted:

Hefei will not follow the coastal cities in pursuing an export-oriented and
resource-consuming manufacturing business model, which brought them quick
growth, but a deteriorating environment. Our business engine should be
resource-saving and environmentally sound.overall, the plan is to promote the
city as a favorable place to live.
Si (2009).
A series of stringent environmental governance efforts took place
following 2009, in which Hefei officials attempted to achieve environmental
improvements while still allowing for economic conditions conducive to high
profits. Specifically, Hefei government leaders announced a development
model defined by “energy efficient, low-emissions, and high profits,” which
also would increase market share in alternative-energy vehicles and solar
energy products (Zhu, 2011).
In 2010 the final push in the 11th Five Year Plan involved the reduction of
SO 2 and other emissions, as well as having 138 enterprises sign environmental

10. For example, starting in 2008, Hefei and its sister city of Columbus, Ohio, USA, engaged in
knowledge exchanges pertaining to landfills and automotive companies, which by 2012 added
up to 12 exchanges (CSCI, 2013). In 2012, the two cities won an EcoPartnership, a bilateral
environmental cooperation partnership program jointly operated by the US Department of
State and China’s NDRC. Also in 2012, the Hefei government and the Beijing-based China
Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Corporation signed a strategic cooperation
agreement (Zong and Wu, 2012).
11. Directive no. 142, “Administrative Measures for the Environmental Protection of Hefei’s
Service Industry, 2009,” Hefei Municipal People’s Government; Directive no. 199, “Notice on
Deepening the Pilot Project of Enterprise Environmental Supervision,” Hefei Environmental
Protection Bureau, 2009; and Directive no. 158, “Notice on Special Inspection of Heavy
Metal-Polluting Enterprises,” Hefei Environmental Protection Bureau, 2009.