China's Very Own Donald Trump Moves Mountains for New City

China is moving mountains again, but this time it isn't a legendary peasant doing the moving, but instead, Yan Jiehe, former teacher, big time developer and one of China's richest men, who is behind it all.

2 minute read

December 23, 2012, 1:00 PM PST

By Erica Gutiérrez


“In what is being billed as the largest 'mountain-moving project' in Chinese history, one of China's biggest construction firms will spend £2.2bn to flatten 700 mountains levelling the area Lanzhou, allowing developers to build a new metropolis on the outskirts of the north-western city,” reports Jonathan Kaiman. The Lanzhou New Area, a 500 square mile parcel located 50 miles from the the provincial capital of Gansu province, has already attracted billions in investment, and is expected to increase the region's gross domestic product by much more than that (£27bn) by 2030. The project is being spearheaded by the China Pacific Construction Group and its head, Yan Jiehe, who was named China's second-richest man in 2006, and who has made his fortune by investing in struggling state-owned enterprises.

The massive mountain-flattening project has raised concerns about the environmental and financial risks associated with it, and more precisely, about the implications of building in one of “China's most chronically water-scarce municipalities,” writes Kaiman.

"In an email interview, a China Pacific Construction Group spokeswoman dismissed criticisms of the project as unjustified. 'Lanzhou's environment is already really poor, it's all desolate mountains which are extremely short of water,' said Angie Wong. 'Our protective style of development will divert water to the area, achieve reforestation and make things better than before.' She also added, "I think whether it's England or America, or any other country, no one will cease development because of resource scarcity caused by geography."

Kaiman reports that the project has received positive press coverage by Chinese Central Television on its website, which stated, “[t]he new area 'will lead to an environmentally sustainable economy based on energy-saving industries' including advanced equipment manufacturing, petrochemical industries and modern agriculture.” The article includes a promotional video which has also been posted onto the Lanzhou New Area website.

Thursday, December 6, 2012 in The Guardian

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Bend, Oregon

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing

The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

3 hours ago - Strong Towns

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

4 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive

Green Skid Row mural satirizing city limit sign in downtown Los Angeles, California.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents

The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.

5 hours ago - Los Angeles Public Press