Chongqing - During Oct.13 and 14, Mamiko Tanaka, the First Secretary of Economic Section, Embassy of Japan, and her colleague came to Chongqing to visit invested projects under the Official Development Assistance (ODA) provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

Students in Lancao Primary School

Lancao Primary School was established in 1903, located on Jiuxian Road, Tongliang District, Chongqing. In 2000, it was determined as a D-class (dangerous) house by profession, which is also rated as inappropriate for public use. Therefore, the principle applied for Japan`s ODA with the Chongqing Municipal Committee of Commerce for the fund RMB670,000  for the reconstruction of the main building of the school. After restoration in 2003, the renewed facility of school help for the higher enrollment rate at the local county (Tongliang District used to be a county in 2003).

Stone Spirit highlighted on school`s wall

In the morning on the Jiuxian Road in the Lancao Mountain, it is easy to find Lancao Primary School has its unique school motto on their promotion walls, the school themed with the spirit of stone because stones are the main products of Lancao Mountain. Currently, the whole students in school are 254, 128 of them are “left-behind” children, which means half of the children live with their relatives while their parents are out of town. The main building has three floors, with nine classrooms that provide a safer and better environment for students. After the reconstruction in 2003, local government and local Education Committee has invested about RMB 400,000 for expansion of playground and canteen.

Expansion of playground

Besides Lancao Primary School, Chongqing Railway Transit (CRT) Line 2 and Chongqing Lijiatuo Yangtze River Bridge were also supported by the ODA project of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In this return visit, Mrs. Tanaka expressed her willingness to see the new look of these projects today and said that she is delighted to maintain friendly communication and contact with local people and government.