Fuxin, a once resource-exhausted city in northeast China's Liaoning Province, is regaining vitality following years of efforts to restore ecology and develop new industries in abandoned mine pits.
Various fashionable events, such as thrilling motor racing tournaments and exciting music festivals, have lit up the open-cast mines and boosted local economy.
Fuxin boasts a long history of coal mining. It has once served as one of China's main sources of coal for industrial use.
As mine resources depleted, the local government has been seeking new ways to boost development. In 2008, an expert from Beijing proposed the race track project after in-depth investigation at a mine pit in Xinqiu District.
The race track project soon proved successful. The first race attracted about 120 racers and over 30,000 spectators. Since then, the District has hosted 11 races, which attracted over 300,000 spectators in total.
The local government also hosted the Strawberry Music Festival in 2021, which attracted an audience of nearly 20,000 people.
In April 2021, China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment approved 36 pilot projects nationwide for ecological protection-oriented development, with Fuxin's mine renovation included.
