China's Mount Tai to remove razor wire fence amid safety, ecology concerns

(ECNS) — China's Mount Tai scenic area in east China's Shandong Province will remove or replace existing blade-style barbed-wire fencing after the barriers triggered public concern over visitor safety, ecological protection and possible disruption to wildlife movement, local authorities said.

The Tai'an municipal government held a meeting on Wednesday to review plans for improving safety facilities at the UNESCO-listed mountain.

Authorities said the fencing would be removed or replaced in phases and by area.

Media reports said a barrier of mesh fencing topped with roller-style bladed barbed wire extends about 135 kilometers along the border between Jinan and Tai'an.

The project was estimated to have cost about 25 million yuan ($3.7 million).

The changes follow public discussion and expert review of the barriers' use. Officials said facilities that could affect daily life, emergency rescue operations, wildlife movement or the landscape would be prioritized for removal.

In high-risk locations, the scenic area will gradually replace the fencing with alternatives such as warning lines, electronic barriers, ordinary fencing and vegetation barriers.

(By Zhang Jiahao)