Ordos responds to ‘ghost town’ allegations   

鄂尔多斯官方回应康巴什空城说：实情并非如此

针对某网站21日发布的《鄂尔多斯康巴什：街道空空只见车不见人》一文，内蒙古自治区鄂尔多斯市康巴什新区党工委宣传部长柴继亮22日做出回应称，真实的康巴什并非如此。

Ordos (CNS) -- The city of Ordos in Inner Mongolia is fielding a public relations meltdown related to its "Kangbashi New Area," a massive infrastructure project that some say has been mostly deserted for years.

Chai Jiliang, an official in charge of the Ordos publicity department, said the government laid out plans for the massive "new town" with public buildings located on the main street and residences scattered around it.

Every community has vegetable markets and supermarkets, Chai said, so it is natural that few citizens are seen on the main street.

The city's planning has made it possible for misunderstandings about the area, he added.

A citizen surnamed Bian said that many local citizens have motor vehicles, so there are few pedestrians in the wealthy mining city.

Many residents were spotted on saturday in a supermarket and vegetable market not far from the main street, as well as in a library and a bookstore.

The so-called "ghost town" is a misunderstanding, local citizens said.

The local population has reached 72,000, said Chai, who cited the "latest data."