Protests in China over chemical plant

A wave of protests in eastern Chinese over environmental risks has forced authorities to halt studies for a petrochemical industrial park project.

Officials in Longkou, in Shandong province, said that plans for an environmental feasibility study for the project have been dropped, after the protests of local residents.

The project was jointly planned with a company from Singapore but the city government released a statement on Wednesday saying: "Based on the opinions reflected by the populace, the plans for the environmental study have already been ceased."

According to media reports, hundreds of protesters in Longkou held up banners reading, "This is still our home" and "Protect the environment".

China is the world's biggest producer and consumer of paraxylene and polyester, which are key products for the country's textile and plastics industry.

Regular demonstrations have been held in China against facilities that produce petrochemicals prompted by fears they could impact the regions environment and the health of residents.

The project is a joint venture between Singapore's Jurong International Holdings and the Longkou-based Nanshan Group.

In June 2015, thousands of protesters marched in Jinshan, about 60 km from China's commercial hub of Shanghai, against plans to build a chemical plant in the district.