“Attach Great Importance to Solving the Water Security Problem”

Those skilled in governing a state are necessarily skilled in governing water. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, Xi Jinping has

I. Vigorously Strengthen Awareness of Water Concerns and Water Crises, Attach Great Importance to Solving Water Security Issues

Water is the foundation of survival and the source of civilization; water security is a major matter concerning the long-term stability of the country. On March 14, 2014, at the Fifth Meeting of the Central Leading Group for Financial and Economic Affairs, Xi Jinping pointed out: “As our country’s economy and society continue to develop, old problems in water security still await resolution, while new problems are becoming increasingly prominent and urgent. The old problems are the uneven spatial and temporal distribution of water determined by geographical and climatic conditions, and the water disasters arising from this. The new problems are mainly water resource shortages, water ecological damage, and water environmental pollution. The interweaving of old and new problems has endowed our country’s water management with entirely new connotations and raised entirely new issues.”

(1) Uneven Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Water and the Water Disasters Arising from This

Our country is located in the southeast of the Eurasian continent and on the west coast of the Pacific Ocean, with distinct monsoon climate characteristics. Precipitation is generally concentrated from June to September, with significant differences between north and south. From the southeast coast to the northwest inland, precipitation generally shows a decreasing trend. The average annual precipitation in the southeast coast and parts of the southwest exceeds 2,000 millimeters, while in areas north of the Yellow River basin it is 400 to 600 millimeters, and in the western part of the northwest region it is even less than 200 millimeters. In some river basins, precipitation in wet years is 2 to 8 times that in dry years, and consecutive wet years or consecutive dry years occur from time to time. Our country’s unique geographical and climatic factors lead to frequent and multiple occurrences of water-related disasters such as basin-wide floods, regional droughts, storm surges, saltwater intrusion, urban waterlogging, mountain torrents, and ice-jam floods.

In recent years, with global warming, meteorological events such as extreme heavy rainfall, high-temperature droughts, and super typhoons have shown a trend of increasing frequency, multiplicity, and severity. The suddenness, abnormality, and uncertainty of water disasters have become increasingly prominent. In 2020, 21 numbered floods occurred in our country’s major rivers, with the Yangtze River, Huaihe River, Songhua River, and Taihu Lake simultaneously experiencing basin-wide floods for the first time since 1998. In 2021, Henan Province encountered historically rare extreme torrential rain; the Jialu River, a tributary of the Shaying River in the middle reaches of the Huaihe River, experienced a flood exceeding historical records; the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River experienced historically rare autumn floods; and the Zhangwei River in the Haihe River basin experienced historically rare consecutive summer and autumn floods. In 2022, the Pearl River basin experienced 8 consecutive numbered floods; the Yangtze River basin experienced the most severe long-term meteorological and hydrological drought since complete measured data became available in 1961. In 2023, extreme rainfall processes occurred in North China, the Huang-Huai region, and Northeast China, triggering severe floods and geological disasters.

Xi Jinping pointed out, “Since ancient times, our country’s basic water regime has always been summer floods and winter droughts, scarcity in the north and abundance in the south, with extremely uneven spatial and temporal distribution of water resources.” This statement profoundly reveals the intrinsic cause of the frequent and multiple occurrences of water disasters in our country, namely that the unique geographical and climatic environment determines the uneven regional distribution, uneven intra-annual distribution, and inter-annual variability of wet and dry conditions of our country’s water resources. These are the old problems of our country’s water security.

(2) Water Resource Shortages

Our country’s total water resources amount to 2.8 trillion cubic meters, but due to its large population, the per capita water resource possession is only about 2,000 cubic meters, far below the world average per capita water resource volume. Our country, with 6% of the world’s freshwater resources, nurtures nearly one-fifth of the world’s population. The latest survey and assessment results show that the current national water shortage is 45 billion cubic meters, including 15.8 billion cubic meters of groundwater overdraft, 17.4 billion cubic meters of insufficient water supply, and 11.8 billion cubic meters of ecological water shortage within river channels. Water crises have emerged in some regions; “water has already become a severely scarce product in our country, a major factor constraining environmental quality, and a serious security issue facing economic and social development.”

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee has attached great importance to water resource issues. Through unremitting efforts, in the process of sustained economic growth, our country’s water resource allocation pattern has continuously changed, and the level of urban and rural water supply security has greatly improved. The water supply capacity of national water conservancy projects increased from 700 billion cubic meters in 2012 to over 890 billion cubic meters in 2022. However, it must be recognized that the problem of water resource shortages in our country remains very prominent. Throughout the process of comprehensively building a modern socialist country, it will always be accompanied by the severe challenge and major constraint of water resource shortages.

(3) Water Ecological Damage

A healthy water ecology is the foundation for ensuring the sustainable use of water resources and guaranteeing sustainable economic and social development. However, after years of rapid development, some problems have emerged in our country’s water ecology. For example, water ecological degradation is severe. Since the 1950s, among the 696 lakes nationwide with an area greater than 10 square kilometers, more than one-third have experienced severe shrinkage, and the area of natural terrestrial wetlands has decreased by 28%. Another example is the over-exploitation and utilization of water resources. The water resource development and utilization rates of the Haihe, Yellow, and Liaohe river basins have reached 106%, 82%, and 76% respectively, and the average groundwater development and utilization rate in the northern plains has reached 85%, with Hebei, Tianjin, Henan, and Shanxi exceeding 100%. Groundwater overdraft is severe, and this has triggered a series of serious ecological and environmental problems such as land subsidence, ground collapse, seawater intrusion, land desertification, and spring water depletion, forming a huge cone of depression in the North China Plain.

The Party Central Committee and the State Council attach great importance to the problem of groundwater overdraft in North China. Xi Jinping explicitly demanded: “The

(4) Water Environmental Pollution

For some time now, water environmental quality has been poor and water pollution severe in certain regions of our country, becoming a pain in the people's hearts and a scourge on their livelihoods, seriously affecting the production and daily life of the masses. On May 26, 2017, during the 41st group study session of the 18th Central Politburo, Xi Jinping conducted

Agricultural non-point source pollution has become one of the main causes of water pollution in China. The main sources of agricultural non-point source pollution are chemical fertilizers and pesticides, as well as large quantities of manure produced by livestock and poultry farming. China’s application of chemical fertilizers accounts for about one-third of the world’s total, higher than the proportion of its arable land area in the world, yet the comprehensive utilization rate of chemical fertilizers and pesticides is only about 40 percent, far below the level of developed countries. Residual chemical fertilizers and pesticides enter water bodies through precipitation, surface runoff, and soil infiltration, leading to the deterioration of soil and water environments. Based on a profound understanding of China’s water security situation, Xi Jinping has called on the entire Party and society to greatly strengthen awareness of water concerns and water crises.

II. The Key to Ensuring Water Security Lies in Transforming the Approach to Water Management

Xi Jinping pointed out: “The key to ensuring water security lies in transforming the approach to water management.” Water management includes multiple links such as development and utilization, governance and allocation, and conservation and protection. At the fifth meeting of the Central Leading Group for Financial and Economic Affairs, based on a scientific judgment of the interweaving of old and new water problems, Xi Jinping proposed the water management approach of “prioritizing water conservation, balancing spatial distribution, pursuing systematic governance, and leveraging both the government and the market,” providing a fundamental guideline for scientific water management and comprehensive water security.

(1) On “Prioritizing Water Conservation”

“Prioritizing water conservation” emphasizes that the key link in water management is water conservation, and that water conservation must be placed in a priority position. This is a highly targeted policy determined by a problem-oriented approach. Many factors have contributed to the severe water security situation over a period of time

Water conservation is of great significance and brings immeasurable benefits to history and the nation. Xi Jinping emphasized: "Water security is a foundational issue for survival. We must attach great importance to water security risks and not feel that a water crisis is still far off. If we do not change our approach to water use and vigorously promote water conservation across the whole society, no amount of water will be enough." He called on the whole society to "establish the awareness that saving water means protecting the ecology, and protecting water sources means protecting our homeland, creating a favorable atmosphere of cherishing water, treasuring water, and conserving water." He also proposed that "water conservation should be included in the performance assessment of severely water-scarce regions," adding that "without this, it is impossible to curb the mindset and behavior of treating water as if it were of no consequence." Furthermore, Xi Jinping attaches great importance to the role of science and technology in promoting water conservation. He pointed out that, on a global scale, there are currently a large number of mature and applicable technologies for water conservation; these technologies are not complicated and have great potential. On the basis of in-depth research, it is necessary to "give full play to the important supporting role of advanced applicable technologies in ensuring water security."

(II) On "Spatial Balance"

"Spatial balance" emphasizes the need to establish the principle of balancing population and economy with resources and the environment, strengthen demand management, and take the carrying capacity of water resources, water ecology, and the water environment as a rigid constraint, implementing this throughout all work related to reform, development, and stability.

Facing the severe situation of water security, Xi Jinping demanded that in developing the economy and advancing industrialization, urbanization, and agricultural modernization, it is necessary to "establish the principle of balancing population and economy with resources and the environment." The carrying capacity of water resources, water ecology, and the water environment is limited. Only by adhering to the principle of balancing population and economy with resources and the environment, and by coordinating urban spatial layout, industrial structure, and population size according to the carrying capacity of water resources, water ecology, and the water environment in different regions, as well as existing development density and potential, can we better achieve harmony between humanity and nature. Otherwise, once the population and economic scale exceed the carrying capacity of water resources, it becomes necessary to over-exploit groundwater or divert water from other regions, potentially leading to water scarcity, ecological damage, and environmental pollution, thereby incurring nature's revenge. To this end, Xi Jinping emphasized, "How much soup you have

(3) On "Systematic Governance"

"Systematic governance" emphasizes viewing water management through the lens of systems theory, coordinating water management with the management of mountains, forests, farmlands, grasslands, and sand, and planning water management from the overall perspective of the ecosystem.

Mountains, waters, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands, and sand form an indivisible ecosystem. Xi Jinping pointed out: "The lifeline of human beings lies in farmlands, the lifeline of farmlands lies in water, the lifeline of water lies in mountains, the lifeline of mountains lies in soil, and the lifeline of soil lies in forests and grasslands. This community of life is the material foundation for human survival and development." The total amount of freshwater in nature is generally stable. The amount of usable water resources in a country or region "depends not only on the amount of precipitation but also on the size of the 'basin' that holds the water." Most of China's water resources are conserved in mountainous, hilly, and plateau areas. If mountains are destroyed and forests are completely cut down, "the mountains become barren, water turns into floods, mud and sand flow together, and the land becomes barren soil without nutrients." For this reason, Xi Jinping pointed out, "Water management must also coordinate all elements of the natural ecology; it cannot be discussed solely in terms of water," and "We must comprehensively coordinate left and right banks, upstream and downstream, land and water, surface and underground, rivers and oceans, water ecology and water resources, pollution prevention and ecological protection, to achieve the best results of systematic governance." In addition, Xi Jinping also proposed that "we must adhere to the integrated advancement of managing mountains, managing water, and managing cities, and scientifically and rationally plan the production space, living space, and ecological space of cities." For example, starting from the integrity of the natural system to solve urban water shortages, when upgrading urban drainage systems, priority should be given to using natural forces for drainage, retaining limited rainwater, to build "sponge cities" that naturally accumulate, naturally infiltrate, and naturally purify. This is precisely an important approach to advancing urban water management using a systematic concept.

(4) On "Leveraging Both Hands"

"Leveraging both hands" emphasizes that to ensure water security, whether it is systematically restoring ecology, expanding ecological space, or conserving water and controlling water pollution, it is necessary to give full play to the decisive role of the market in resource allocation and better play the role of the government, allowing the "two hands" of the government and the market to complement and reinforce each other.

Regarding adhering to leveraging both the government and the market, Xi Jinping has put forward clear requirements.

On the one hand, the role of the government must be brought into play. Xi Jinping emphasized, "Water is a public good," and "Water governance is a primary responsibility of the government." The government must neither be absent nor soft; it must manage what needs to be managed, and manage it strictly and well. The strictest water resource management system must be implemented, strengthening dual control over the total amount and intensity of water resources. He attaches great importance to the leveraging and regulating role of water resource taxes, requiring the study and proposal of a water resource tax plan to be implemented step by step. At the same time, he focuses on the role of price mechanisms, requiring the distinction between producers and consumers, drinking water and sewage, surface water and groundwater, urban and rural water use, industrial and agricultural water use, etc., and the study and proposal of a package plan for raw water fees, tap water fees, and sewage treatment fees.

On the other hand, the role of market mechanisms must be brought into play. Xi Jinping called for accelerating the market

The ecological protection and governance of major rivers such as the Yangtze and the Yellow River, as well as important lakes and wetlands, bears on the millennia-long plan for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and its sustainable development. It is an important component of water management and water development, and plays a fundamental safeguarding role in solving the water security problem. On October 22, 2021, Xi Jinping pointed out at the symposium on thoroughly advancing ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin: "Following the development strategy for the Yangtze Economic Belt, we have put forward the strategy for ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin, and the state's 'river strategy' has thus been established." The state's "river strategy" not only makes arrangements for the protection and governance of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, but also clarifies the principles and requirements for the ecological protection and governance of rivers and lakes in the New Era. It has important guiding significance for coordinating the governance of water resources, the water environment, and the water ecology, and for strengthening pollution prevention and ecological protection of rivers and lakes.

(I) Jointly Pursue Major Protection, Not Major Development, and Explore a New Path of Ecological Priority and Green Development for the Yangtze Economic Belt

The Yangtze River is the mother river of the Chinese nation and an important support for the development of the Chinese nation. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, Xi Jinping has successively presided over symposia on promoting the development of the Yangtze Economic Belt, on thoroughly promoting the development of the Yangtze Economic Belt, on comprehensively promoting the development of the Yangtze Economic Belt, and on further promoting the high-quality development of the Yangtze Economic Belt in Chongqing, Wuhan, Nanjing, and Nanchang. He also presided over symposia on solidly advancing the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta and on deeply advancing the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta in Hefei and Shanghai. He has conducted multiple field inspections of the Yangtze River, taking the pulse, steering the course, and mapping out the blueprint for promoting the high-quality development of the Yangtze Economic Belt.

The Yangtze River possesses a unique ecosystem and is an important ecological treasure house of China. Xi Jinping has repeatedly pointed out: "The Yangtze River is sick

Promoting the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt fundamentally depends on the high-quality ecological environment of the Yangtze River basin. To this end, Xi Jinping attaches great importance to protecting and restoring the ecological environment of the Yangtze River and has put forward a series of specific requirements. At the symposium in Chongqing, he proposed that "implementing major ecological restoration projects should be made a priority option for promoting the development projects of the Yangtze River Economic Belt."

At the symposium in Wuhan, he proposed handling five sets of relations, namely: correctly grasping the relationship between overall advancement and breakthroughs at key points, and comprehensively carrying out the protection and restoration of the Yangtze River ecological environment; correctly grasping the relationship between ecological environmental protection and economic development, and exploring new pathways for coordinating ecological priority and green development; correctly grasping the relationship between overall planning and persistent effort, and unswervingly carrying out a single blueprint to the end; correctly grasping the relationship between eliminating old growth drivers and cultivating new ones, and promoting the construction of a modern economic system in the Yangtze River Economic Belt; correctly grasping the relationship between self-development and coordinated development, and striving to build the Yangtze River Economic Belt into an organically integrated and efficient economic entity. At the symposium in Hefei, he particularly emphasized that "the Yangtze River fishing ban is an important decision made for the overall situation and for the benefit of future generations," requiring the provinces, municipalities, and relevant departments along the river to strengthen overall coordination, refine policy measures, consolidate primary responsibilities, and ensure the employment and livelihood of retired fishermen. At the symposium in Nanjing, he proposed nine specific measures, including "strengthening territorial space control and negative list management, strictly adhering to ecological red lines, continuously carrying out ecological restoration and environmental pollution control projects, and maintaining the authenticity and integrity of the Yangtze River ecology." At the symposium in Nanchang, he required Party committees and governments at all levels along the river to have a clear understanding of the designated important ecological spaces in their areas, giving them priority protection and strict protection. At the symposium in Shanghai, he required the Yangtze River Delta region to strengthen joint ecological environmental protection and coordinated governance. Since the implementation of the Yangtze River Economic Belt development strategy, the provinces, municipalities, and relevant central departments have conscientiously implemented the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, solidly advanced the protection and restoration of the Yangtze River ecological environment, and actively promoted the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development. The determination and intensity have been unprecedented, and the beautiful scene of "a river of clear water flowing eastward" has reappeared.

(II) Jointly Focus on Major Protection, Synergistically Advance Major Governance, Making the Yellow River a Happy River That Benefits the People

The Yellow River basin is an important ecological barrier and an important economic zone in China, holding a very significant position in China's economic and social development and ecological security. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, Xi Jinping has traveled throughout the upper, middle, and lower reaches of the Yellow River, conducting multiple field inspections of the ecological protection and development of the Yellow River basin, personally driving the elevation of ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River basin to a major national strategy, and establishing the "four beams and eight pillars" [n] for Yellow River protection and governance.

The Yellow River has long been "frail and prone to illness," with frequent floods. Xi Jinping pointed out that "water security is the biggest 'gray rhino' [n] in the Yellow River basin." He conducted a precise analysis of the prominent problems existing in the Yellow River basin. For example, the flood risk remains the greatest threat to the basin. The situation of the "suspended river above ground" is severe, with the downstream suspended river stretching 800 kilometers, and sedimentation in the upper reaches of the Ningxia-Inner Mongolia section forming a new suspended river. The current riverbed averages 4 to 6 meters higher than the backside ground level, with the Xinxiang city section being 20 meters higher than the ground. Another example is the fragile ecological environment of the basin. In the upper reaches, some areas have degraded ecosystems and reduced water conservation functions; in the middle reaches, soil erosion is severe, and tributaries like the Fen River have prominent pollution problems; in the lower reaches, ecological flow is low, and some local estuary wetlands are shrinking. Yet another example is the severe situation of water resource security. The total water resources of the Yellow River are less than 7% of those of the Yangtze River, water resource utilization is relatively extensive, agricultural water use efficiency is low, and the water resource development and utilization rate far exceeds the 40% ecological warning line for general river basins. He believes that "the reasons for this include both objective constraints of inherent deficiencies and human factors of acquired neglect," and that "the symptoms appear in the Yellow River, but the root cause lies in the entire basin."

Focusing on solving the prominent contradictions and problems existing in the Yellow River basin, Xi Jinping adheres to a problem-oriented approach and puts forward clear goals and tasks. Xi Jinping pointed out: "The governance of the Yellow River emphasizes protection and focuses on governance." "We must adhere to the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, adhere to ecological priority and green development, act based on water conditions and water capacity, adapt measures to local conditions and classify policies, plan comprehensively for the upper, middle, and lower reaches, main streams, tributaries, left and right banks, jointly focus on major protection, synergistically advance major governance, strive to strengthen ecological protection and governance, ensure the long-term stability of the Yellow River, promote high-quality development of the entire basin, improve the people's living standards, protect, inherit, and promote Yellow River culture, and make the Yellow River a happy river that benefits the people." In particular, "major protection should be taken as the key task, and by fighting tough battles in environmental problem remediation, deep water conservation and control, and ecological protection and restoration, the ecological landscape of the basin should be significantly improved." "Major protection" and "major governance" set the tone for promoting ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River basin, clarifying the guiding ideology and direction of effort.

Ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River basin constitute a complex systemic project. Xi Jinping, grasping the principal contradiction and the principal

Apart from the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, Xi Jinping has also set requirements for the protection and restoration of the ecological environment of the Huai River, the Hai River, Dongting Lake, Poyang Lake, Qinghai Lake, Dianchi Lake, West Lake, Qiandao Lake, Hulun Lake, the Xixi Wetland, and the Tianhan Wetland. For example, he stressed that lakes and wetlands are the "kidneys of the earth," and that hard measures must be taken to stop the reclamation and encroachment of lakes and wetlands, and that for lakes and wetlands with conditions for restoration, farmland should be returned to lakes and wetlands. It is necessary to strengthen source protection, make solid efforts to advance water pollution prevention and control, and protect the ecological environment of key lakes and wetlands.

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has adhered to the integrated advancement of pollution prevention and ecological protection. While strengthening the ecological protection and governance of major rivers such as the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers and important lakes and wetlands, it has also deeply implemented the Action Plan for Water Pollution Prevention and Control, made great efforts to fight the battle for clear water, solidly promoted the river chief system and lake chief system, accelerated the remediation of industrial, agricultural, and domestic pollution sources and the water ecosystem, advanced the standardized construction of water source areas and the construction of backup water source areas, ensured the safety of urban and rural drinking water, eliminated urban black and odorous water bodies, and reduced heavily polluted and substandard water bodies. The national water environment quality has achieved phased improvement, heavily polluted water bodies have been significantly reduced, the trend of worsening groundwater pollution has been preliminarily curbed, the environmental quality of coastal waters has been stable and improving, and the water ecological environment in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta, and other areas has improved.

IV. Accelerate the Construction of the Main Framework and Major Arteries of the National Water Network, Comprehensively Enhance the Capacity for Water Security

Xi Jinping pointed out: "Entering the new stage of development, implementing the new development philosophy, building the new development pattern, forming a unified national market and smooth domestic circulation, and promoting the coordinated development of the north and the south all require the strong support of water resources." The northern region of China, with 18% of the country's water resources, supports 46% of the country's population and 64% of its arable land. To solve the water security problem, it is necessary to base efforts on the integrity of river basins and the balanced spatial allocation of water resources, and comprehensively enhance the capacity for coordinated water resource regulation, water supply security, and strategic reserves. On May 14, 2021, at the symposium on promoting the high-quality development of the follow-up projects of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, Xi Jinping,

The so-called national water network refers to a comprehensive system that takes natural rivers and lakes as its foundation, water diversion and drainage projects as its channels, regulation and storage projects as its nodes, and smart regulation as its means, integrating functions such as optimal allocation of water resources, flood control and disaster reduction in river basins, and protection of water ecosystems. Xi Jinping pointed out: "The construction of a water network will be another century-spanning picture in the Chinese nation's history of water management, and will be recorded in the annals of history for a thousand years."

(I) Apply the valuable experience of implementing major inter-basin water diversion projects to better advance the construction of the national water network

Implementing water diversion projects is an important measure to promote the interconnection of river and lake systems, optimize the pattern of water resource allocation, and enhance the capacity for water security. After the founding of New China, our Party led the launch of large-scale water conservancy project construction. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, under the strong leadership and scientific deployment of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, we have successively constructed inter-basin and inter-regional water diversion projects such as the eastern and central routes of the South-to-North Water Diversion Phase I projects, the Yangtze-to-Huaihe Water Diversion Phase I project, the Central Yunnan Water Diversion project, the Han-to-Wei River Water Diversion project, and the Pearl River Delta Water Resources Allocation project, significantly enhancing the capacity for coordinated allocation of water resources.

At the symposium on promoting the high-quality development of the follow-up projects of the South-to-North Water Diversion, Xi Jinping systematically summarized the valuable experience of implementing major inter-basin water diversion projects. This mainly includes: adhering to the principle of the whole country as a single chessboard, with the part subordinating to the whole and the locality subordinating to the central government, optimizing resource allocation comprehensively from the central level; concentrating resources to accomplish major tasks, with unified promotion from the central level, centralized guarantee of construction factors such as funds and land, and coordinated arrangements for resettlement and other work; respecting objective laws, scientifically and prudently demonstrating plans, attaching importance to ecological and environmental protection, emphasizing both human triumph over nature and human-water harmony; planning with overall guidance, coordinating the water resource situations of the four major river basins of the Yangtze, Huaihe, Yellow, and Haihe rivers, while taking into account the needs of relevant regions and industries; attaching importance to water conservation and pollution control, adhering to the principles of conserving water before diverting it, treating pollution before channeling water, and protecting the environment before using water; and precisely and accurately diverting water, refining the formulation of water allocation plans, and strengthening precise scheduling from water sources to users. These valuable experiences are of great significance for better advancing the construction of the national water network.

(II) Accurately grasp the practical requirements of water diversion projects and promote the national water network project with high quality

The South-to-North Water Diversion project is a backbone project for allocating water resources across river basins and regions. It is "a major national affair, a century-spanning project, and a project for the people's wellbeing, on a par with the Three Gorges Project," and is an important component of the main framework and main artery of the national water network. Promoting the high-quality development of the follow-up projects of the South-to-North Water Diversion is of great significance for accelerating the construction of a national water network that is "comprehensive and complete, safe and reliable, intensive and efficient, green and intelligent, with smooth circulation and orderly regulation."

At the symposium on promoting the high-quality development of the follow-up work of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project and on other occasions, Xi Jinping has put forward clear requirements for advancing the follow-up work of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project. First, adhere to a systems perspective. Xi Jinping pointed out that it is necessary to “use the thinking method of systems theory to analyze problems, properly handle the relationships between source development and conservation, stock and increment, and time and space, so as to maximize the comprehensive benefits of the project.” Second, adhere to following the laws. Xi Jinping emphasized that it is necessary to “follow the demonstration principles for major water conservancy projects of genuine need, ecological safety, and sustainability,” “study and judge the long-term trends in water supply and demand, regional distribution, and structural characteristics, scientifically determine the project scale and overall layout, properly handle the relationships between development and protection, and between utilization and restoration, and never cross the bottom line of ecological security.” Third, adhere to prioritizing water conservation. Xi Jinping attaches great importance to the issue of water conservation in water diversion projects, emphasizing that “along the South-to-North Water Diversion route, whether in urban construction, industrial layout, or agricultural production, the factor of water conservation must be considered,” “water conservation is the key, water diversion is the supplement,” “one cannot divert water while wasting it, let alone use water without restraint,” and that both water diversion and water conservation must be pursued with equal firmness. Fourth, adhere to economic rationality. Xi Jinping requires that “the investment and benefits of the project be coordinated, multi-plan comparison and demonstration be strengthened, and the number of land acquisition and resettlement personnel be reduced as much as possible.” Fifth, strengthen ecological and environmental protection. Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized the need to “strengthen the protection of water resources along the South-to-North Water Diversion project, continuously do a good job in pollution prevention and ecological and environmental protection in the areas along the water transmission route and in the receiving areas,” and “must ensure that a clear river flows northward.” These requirements have pointed the direction for advancing the construction of the national water network with high quality.

V. Put the Safety of the People’s Lives First, and Make Every Effort to Prevent and Control Flood and Drought Disasters

China is one of the countries in the world most severely affected by natural disasters, especially flood and drought disasters. Xi Jinping pointed out:

(I) Accelerate the improvement of the river basin flood control engineering system, further consolidate the first line of defense against flood and drought disasters

River channels and embankments are an important aspect of the river basin flood control engineering system and play a significant role in defending against flood and drought disasters. Xi Jinping has repeatedly put forward requirements for strengthening river channel and embankment construction, emphasizing the need to “advance comprehensive river channel management and embankment reinforcement, and build a tranquil Yangtze River”; “define the red lines and bottom lines for the protection of the Yellow River, and comprehensively advance major projects such as embankment construction, river channel regulation, floodplain management, and ecological restoration”.

Key water conservancy projects of a pivotal nature occupy a controlling position in the river basin flood control engineering system. These projects are mainly built on key reaches of the main streams or major tributaries of large rivers, and have multiple functions such as flood control, water supply, irrigation, power generation, and navigation, playing an irreplaceable and important role in preventing and controlling flood and drought disasters. Xi Jinping pointed out that it is necessary to “focus on river and lake safety, ecological environment safety, and urban flood control safety, and plan and construct a batch of foundational and pivotal major projects”. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, as of the end of 2022, China has added 164.5 billion cubic meters of reservoir storage capacity, achieving an overall improvement in the regulation and guarantee capacity for river basin flood control and water supply.

Flood storage and detention areas are an important component of the river basin flood control engineering system. Implementing flood storage and detention through wetlands, lakes, reservoirs, ponds, etc., plays an important role in ensuring river basin flood control safety. Xi Jinping emphasized: “We must adhere to the positioning and planning of wetland flood storage areas, and quickly restore the flood discharge and storage functions and ecological protection functions of ecological wetland flood storage areas.” In August 2020, when Xi Jinping inspected the Mengwa flood storage area below the Wangjiaba Gate in Anhui, he pointed out: “To implement rural revitalization, ensuring the flood discharge and storage function must be the prerequisite. Production and living arrangements should be made according to local conditions, developing strengths and avoiding weaknesses. At the same time, guide and encourage fellow villagers to gradually move out, reduce the stock, control the increment, avoid making big disruptions, and ensure that the population in the flood storage area no longer increases.” This requires taking ensuring the flood discharge and storage function as the starting point and ultimate goal of the construction and management of flood storage and detention areas, strictly controlling the population size, and coordinating the relationships between the overall situation of river basin flood control, regional high-quality development, and ecological protection.

(II) Scientifically apply various non-engineering measures, firmly grasp the initiative in flood control and drought relief

Xi Jinping pointed out: “To build a modern socialist country in all respects, the ability to resist natural disasters must also be modernized.” To resist flood and drought disasters, it is necessary to accurately grasp the climatic and hydrological characteristics, rely on the flood control engineering system, realize the combination of engineering measures and non-engineering measures, and comprehensively improve the capacity for flood control, drought relief, disaster reduction, and disaster relief.

First, implement the responsibility system for flood control and drought relief. On July 17, 2020, Xi Jinping presided over a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee to study and deploy flood prevention and disaster relief work. The meeting emphasized: “All relevant parties must strengthen overall coordination, give full play to their respective professional advantages, and form a flood prevention and disaster relief pattern of close cooperation between provinces and cities, between departments, between the military and local authorities, between upstream and downstream, and between left and right banks”; “responsibilities must be implemented throughout the entire process and at all levels of flood prevention and disaster relief, assigned to specific posts and individuals, and the responsibility system for engineering patrol and defense during the flood season must be implemented.” In response to the extreme heavy rainfall that occurred in North China, the Huang-Huai region, and Northeast China in 2023, Xi Jinping demanded that “all levels must maintain a working state of constant concern, and do a good job of patrol duty and emergency response”.

Second, strengthen measures for forecasting, early warning, rehearsal, and contingency plans. Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized that it is necessary to “strengthen the monitoring, forecasting, and early warning of rainfall and water conditions, promptly release early warning information, and promptly initiate emergency response”, “raise the level of early warning and forecasting for rainfall, typhoons, flash floods, and mudslides”, and “improve response plans, and strengthen early warning and prevention of extreme weather”. He demanded that all relevant regions must “tighten the string of preventing major floods, resisting major floods, dealing with major dangers, and rescuing from major disasters”, “do a good job of all response preparations for flood prevention, flood fighting, and disaster relief”, “do a good job of preparing plans, preparing teams, preparing materials, and preparing for the use of flood storage and detention areas”, emphasizing that “it is better to be prepared and not use it, than to be unprepared when it is needed”.

Third, precisely carry out joint operation of water projects. With the improvement and perfection of the river basin flood control engineering system and the national water network, the importance of joint operation of water projects has become increasingly prominent. Xi Jinping emphasized that “it is necessary to precisely carry out flood operation, and maximize the disaster prevention and reduction benefits of water conservancy projects”. Taking the Yangtze River basin as an example, the scale of joint operation has been continuously increasing. The number of water projects included in joint operation increased from 10 reservoirs in 2012 to 111 (sites) water projects in 2022. The operation objective has shifted from single flood control operation to multi-objective comprehensive operation for flood control, water supply, power generation, ecology, navigation, and emergency response. During the five numbered floods of the Yangtze River in 2020, the joint operation of control reservoirs intercepted approximately 50 billion cubic meters of floodwater, greatly reducing the losses from flood disasters.

Xi Jinping’s important discourses on water management work contain a profound revelation and scientific grasp of the laws of water management work, pointing out the direction forward and providing fundamental guidance for water management work in the New Era. On the new journey, we must take Xi Jinping’s important discourses on water management work as the guide, coordinate the management of water resources, water ecology, water environment, and water disasters, continuously improve the capacity for economical and intensive use of water resources, the capacity for optimal allocation of water resources, the capacity for ecological protection and management of rivers and lakes, and the capacity for defense against flood and drought disasters, and provide a solid water security guarantee for comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization.

(Author: Liu Zhihui, Associate Researcher at the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee)

Online Editor: Jin Qiu