Datong, once synonymous with China’s coal belt, is carving out a new identity as a hub of culture, technology and green innovation. Long powered by coal reserves that account for one-eighth of the national total, the Shanxi city spent decades tied to a single industry that fuelled China’s rise but also left Datong heavily polluted by the early 2000s.

Determined to break this cycle, the city has worked to modernise its pillar industry while nurturing new sectors. At a local research institute, experts are developing cleaner, smarter and more flexible uses of coal. As Director Tian Jilin explains, their work includes “clean, efficient, and flexible coal combustion… [and] converting it through chemical decomposition into everyday products such as activated carbon, paint, plastics, and medical supplies.”

The results are striking. Datong has leapt from just 49 days of good air in 2001 to 314 last year, transforming from an environmental laggard to a provincial leader. Now, drawing on more than a millennium of cultural heritage, the city is channelling this renewal into a vibrant cultural-tourism economy, signalling a confident and sustainable new chapter.

Source: China Central Television