Environmental challenge tests government credibility

The water contamination in Lanzhou has caused quite a stir in Chinese society.

A month ago, Lanzhou authorities denied a rumor of possible local water contamination. This latest exposure has greatly damaged the public's confidence in the government's capability of ensuring the safety of drinking water.

Local governments across China tend to take a soft approach when dealing with pollution. They worry about the public reacting too fiercely to environmental pollution or worry that the scandal may affect the local investment atmosphere and damage the image of the government itself.

As the Chinese public has become highly alert about environmental issues, they cannot bear any tricks the government plays when it releases environment-related information. If the government says it has already settled the issue, it will still meet a public backlash.

Faced with constant pollution issues, the government may have to readjust its attitude when approaching the public and restore the public's trust.

First of all, local governments should have a practical understanding of their environmental problems. China has paid a high environmental cost for its development. Both the government and the public have an obligation to solve this problem.

Meanwhile, the public knows that to tackle environmental issues and make air quality and food safety reach the world's most advanced levels cannot be realized overnight. It is natural that people complain and the government is an easy target.

China faces numerous challenges as it aims to further develop its heavy chemical industries. The public is worried about environment quality and does not believe the government anymore. But most people understand that China cannot stop its development and hopes to find a means that guarantees both safety and development.

The public demands the government shows a trustworthy attitude. The importance the government attaches to severe environmental matters and the actions the government takes are the best way to secure the interests of the public. However, the statements of some officials make people believe they just want to shirk their responsibilities.

The environmental issues cannot be solved soon, but the estrangement between the public and officials can be eliminated or improved. This requires reform by the government to establish harsh and reasonable systems to hold people accountable. Those who deliberately hide information should be severely punished because they not only fail to undertake due responsibilities but also damage government credibility.

We should be able to see that both the government and society have proceeded in dealing with pollution issues. Meanwhile, we request further improvement. As long as we can face up to these issues, China can hope to address and solve the pollution impasse.