Chapter 197: Dialogue (Part two)
The world was changing rapidly.
The much-discussed West-East Gas Pipeline project had officially begun commercial operations. High-quality natural gas from western China was ignited in Shanghai, and the Yangtze River Delta took a great stride into a new era of clean energy. Shanghai's Baihe distribution station was the pipeline's final stop and the first station to receive natural gas in Shanghai, and would be responsible for supplying electricity to the entire city.
China began issuing and replacing second-generation identity cards for its citizens, with pilot programs starting in major cities across the country. Shanghai's first pilots were launched in Jiading District and Chongming County, with replacement programs officially beginning in other areas in the second half of the year. Many people found the new generation of identity cards, which resembled i-cards, novel. The old, laminated first-generation cards, like cassette tapes and black wooden pencils tipped with erasers, were fading from people's sight years down the line.
The planning boundaries for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo had been confirmed. This designated zone extended from Nanpu Bridge in the east to Pudong South Road in the south, bordering the Huangpu River to the northwest, with a total area of approximately 5.53 square kilometers. In 2010, every inch of its land would exude an allure that left politicians and economists dreamily intoxicated.
The 0th annual session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific was held with great ceremony in Shanghai. Its theme was "Strengthening regional development cooperation to meet the challenges of globalization." In short, the discussion concerned how the giants among the commission's 2 members and associate members, relevant international organizations, and nongovernmental organizations could safeguard their own interests in this era of rapid change.
New road traffic safety regulations came