The 12-square-kilometer Zhangjiagang Bay in the port city of Zhangjiagang in East China's Jiangsu goes back to greenery thanks to the local government's environmental protection efforts. [Photo/Official WeChat account: zjgcitynews]

The port city of Zhangjiagang in East China's Jiangsu province has been ramping up efforts to better coordinate environmental conservation along the banks of the Yangtze River, and it has achieved initial success in environmental protection and ecological development over recent years, according to a news report Aug 10.

Serving as a port along the Yangtze River, Zhangjiagang has striven to take advantage of its location to develop a port-vicinity industry, and it has developed into a visually appealing modern port city. The city has been ranked third among China's 100 strongest counties for 25 consecutive years.

However, its rapid economic growth has led to high levels of pollution, and residents living along the river now suffer from severe air and water pollution.

"The living environment in Zhangjiagang Bay had become terrible because of the blind development and overdevelopment," said Wu Guozhong, a local resident.