Editor's Note Ahead of the UN 2023 Water Conference, a three-day gathering that will start on Wednesday, World Water Day, Li Guoying, minister of Water Resources, talks about China's endeavors to enhance water management and promote international cooperation in an exclusive interview with China Daily reporter.
How would you comment on the achievements China has made in water resource management over the past 10 years?
China has made remarkable achievements in water resource management over the past 10 years.
First, the national capability to
conserve water resources and use them efficiently has continued to
improve. Despite an average annual economic growth rate of about 6
percent, China's annual water consumption has been maintained below 610
billion cubic meters.
▲Workers clean up rubbish on Dianchi Lake in Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan province. [Photo/Xinhua]
Second, the allocation of water resources has continued to improve. The annual water supply capacity nationwide is in excess of 890 billion cubic meters.
Thirdly, the capacity for the environmental protection and governance of rivers and lakes has improved. We have implemented the River Chief System (a network of leading officials responsible for overseeing the conditions of specific bodies of water), launched the "Mother River" restoration program and controlled the excessive exploitation of groundwater. More and more water bodies and river basins have been rejuvenated. Many rivers that were previously dry for extended periods of time once again flow.
Fourthly, as China strives to provide household water security to rural areas, 87 percent of the rural population now has access to tap water, up 11 percentage points from 2015. These accomplishments have happened because we pursue a people-centered development philosophy and always see public aspirations for a better life as our goal.
We also follow natural law, prioritize environmental protection and green development and implement new development concepts accurately and completely. We balance the relationship between development and protection, and endeavor to promote harmony between people and water resources.
We follow the rule of law in water governance and reform and innovation, and make a consistent effort to improve water-related laws and regulations, such as the Yangtze River Protection Law.
LI MIN/CHINA DAILY
How would you evaluate the historical significance of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project? What experiences are worth sharing with the international community?
As the largest cross-river basin water transfer project in the world, construction of the project officially began in December 2002 after half a century of planning and assessment. As of December 2014, the first phases of the East and Middle Routes have become operational. To date, they have transferred 60.5 billion cubic meters of water, directly benefiting more than 150 million people.
The project has led to the accumulation of valuable experience in implementing major cross-basin water transfer projects:
First, the importance of adhering to the national plan, with local interests subordinate to the overall situation.
Second, the importance of concentrating resources to accomplish great things by promoting the project at the central level and concentrating on securing elements such as funding and land use, as well as coordinating resettlement of those displaced by construction.
Third, the importance of respecting law, scientifically and prudently demonstrating proposals, and emphasizing environmental protection. In addition, the importance of emphasizing both willpower and a balance between humans and water resources.
Fourth, the importance of taking a holistic approach to planning, taking into account the conditions in the four major river basins of the Yangtze, Huaihe, Yellow and Haihe rivers, as well as the demands of regions and industries.
Fifth, the importance of focusing on both water conservation and pollution control.
And sixth, the importance of accurately and precisely regulating water transfers, hammering out detailed water allocation plans and accurately dispatching water from the source to users.
▲Part of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project runs through Nanyang, Henan province. [Photo/Xinhua] In your opinion, what are some of the experiences the international community can learn from? Can you share a few examples that have impressed you?
China faces one of the most challenging water management situations in the world. It has a large population but limited water resources. The spatiotemporal distribution of those resources is uneven. There is a mismatch between water distribution and regional socioeconomic factors. The carrying capacity of the water environment is limited.
China has accumulated some experience in improving water resource management at home while conducting international cooperation abroad.
Since the 1970s, the long-term, large-scale exploitation of groundwater resources has led to the serious overexploitation of groundwater in North China, as well as ecological and environmental problems, including a decline in groundwater levels and the shrinking of river and lake surfaces.
In 2019, with State Council approval, the Ministry of Water Resources and relevant departments issued the Action Plan for Comprehensive Treatment of Over-exploitation of Groundwater in North China. There has been an overall rise in groundwater levels in North China, with shallow groundwater and deep confined water in the treatment area rising by an average of 2.25 meters and 6.72 meters, respectively, compared to 2018.
We have implemented the River Chief system. At present, there are 1.2 million river chiefs at the provincial, city, county, township and village levels nationwide. Under their management, targeted measures have been taken to address problems in each river and lake. As a result, the appearance of rivers and lakes has undergone historic change.
We have contributed water management solutions to global water governance. On April 27, 2019, the International Standardization of Small Hydropower was included in the list of outcomes of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation as an important achievement of BRI international cooperation. The China-headquartered International Network on Small Hydro Power worked together with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization to publish the Technical Guidelines for Small Hydropower, which is the first systematic international standard for the small hydropower industry in the world.
Since the launch of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Mechanism in 2016, the water resource authorities of the six countries in the basin have implemented the consensus reached by their leaders. Through consistent efforts to strengthen water resource cooperation, they have achieved fruitful results. To help countries in the basin better cope with climate change, flooding and droughts, the ministry has been providing year-round hydrological data to the Mekong River Commission since November 2020. Before that, China provided flood season hydrological data to the commission for 18 consecutive years.
▲The Baihetan hydropower station, Nov 5, 2022. [Photo/Xinhua]
The ministry is accelerating the construction of digital twins for river basin and water resource management projects. What is the current progress of these projects?
Digital technology is increasingly becoming a driving force in innovative development. Based on the demand for the development of water resource governance, the ministry has proposed accelerating the creation of digital twin projects, and progress has been made in three aspects.
First, the ministry has issued a series of top-level design documents, clarifying the goals, tasks and layout of river basin digital twins. By 2025, key areas along major rivers, lakes and their main tributaries are slated to complete the creation of the digital twins.
Second, pilot projects are being promoted. The construction of digital twin river basin is a complex and systematic project. The ministry identified 94 priority tasks across the country to begin work on last year.
Third, the ministry has endeavored to support water management businesses in realizing the four functions of forecasting, early warning, simulation and contingency planning with the help of digital technology.
The ministry will coordinate the creation of digital twins for river basins, water supply networks and water resource engineering. By the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), it is slated to create a digital twin system that encompasses the four functions previously mentioned.
▲An aerial view of the scenery along the Yangtze River in Nantong, Jiangsu province, in September. WU SHUJIAN/FOR CHINA DAILY In recent years, China has faced natural disasters resulting from extreme weather conditions. What progress has the ministry made in addressing climate challenges?
China pursues a people and life-first approach as it works to strengthen the construction of its water and drought control systems.
At present, a flood control system consisting of reservoirs, watercourses, embankments and flood detention areas is essentially complete along major rivers. Through the measures of interception, diversion, storage, detention and discharge, it has achieved the ability to largely protect itself against the largest floods to have occurred since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.
The country is also able to ensure the security of urban and rural water supply and minimize losses to drought.
In terms of non-engineering measures, monitoring, forecasting and warning capabilities have been improved. There are now 120,000 monitoring stations for water resources management, and the time required to collect information from them all dropped to just 15 minutes. The flood forecast accuracy for major rivers in the south and north stands at 90 percent and 70 percent, respectively.
In recent years, the ministry has successfully overcome severe flooding in major rivers and lakes thanks to its engineering and non-engineering systems.
We have also been able to mitigate rare droughts in the Yangtze River and Pearl River basins, guaranteeing safety of lives and property, and the security of water supply and food production.
▲Workers assemble a floating photovoltaic power generation facility at a reservoir in Liaocheng, Shandong province, in December. ZHANG ZHENXIANG/FOR CHINA DAILY
What kind of exchange and collaboration has the Ministry of Water Resources had with UN agencies in terms of water resources management?
The ministry has been collaborating with UN agencies for a long time. Since joining the United Nations Secretary-General's Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation, it has played an active role in promoting the establishment of a separate water goal in the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. Through an agreement with UNESCO, the ministry established the International Research and Training Center on Erosion and Sedimentation in China. It has also signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development to promote the drafting of international standards for small hydropower. I will give two examples in detail.
First, China has been an active participant in UNESCO's International Hydrological Program for a long time. It established the Chinese National Committee for the IHP in 1979, and has been an active partner and important contributor to the program. Over the years, within the program's framework, both parties have cooperated on hydrological research, water education and training, and cultural exchange. A Chinese expert currently serves as chair of the IHP's Intergovernmental Council.
Second, China, UNIDO and the UNDP created the International Network on Small Hydro Power. It now has 480 members from 80 countries and regions and has three regional centers in Asia, Africa and South America. The network has rolled out international cooperation on rural energy development, environmental protection and poverty relief. The Lighting up Africa with Small Hydro Power project has been recognized by the UN and welcomed by recipient countries.
Looking to the future, we will push forward the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative through multilateral UN platforms, and work with countries and regions worldwide to tackle increasingly severe water challenges.
▲A volunteer cleans the surface of a body of water in Deqing county, Huzhou, Zhejiang province, in September. WANG ZHENG/FOR CHINA DAILY This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. What landmark water resource management projects has China rolled out in signatory countries? What plans are there for the future?
China is not just the founder of the Belt and Road Initiative, but is also a responsible partner. In recent years, cooperation with BRI signatories has made remarkable contributions to socioeconomic development in participating countries.
The first is that China has helped guarantee livelihoods in BRI countries. In many countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, China has provided technical consultation for the comprehensive planning of water resources, river basins and flood control. Also, a number of water resource management projects have been implemented to help address insufficient water supplies and agricultural development, and to strengthen the ability to prevent flooding and mitigate droughts. The Lancang-Mekong Sweet Spring Project, for example, has addressed the difficulties of some 7,000 people in Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar in getting safe drinking water.
The second is that China has injected new impetus into the economic development of BRI countries. Chinese planning and design companies have participated in the construction of a number of multifunctional water resource management and hydropower projects. These have not only helped guarantee power supply, but have also promoted industrial upgrading and created many jobs.
Thanks to the Chinese-built Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric project, Ecuador no longer depends on imported energy. The project also created 15,000 jobs.
In Guinea, the Chinese-built Kaleta Hydropower Station has greatly relieved power shortages in the capital, Conakry, and surrounding areas, benefiting 4 million people.
Third, China has created a new channel for BRI countries to train water resource management specialists. We have carried out technical training for countries with relatively weak water resource management capabilities.
At present, nearly 4,000 technicians and government officials from 112 countries have been provided with online and on-site training in English, French, Russian and Spanish. We have set up five overseas technology transfer and capacity building centers in Pakistan, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Serbia and Senegal.
By focusing on building what we call "small but beautiful" projects, the ministry continues to promote the implementation of projects that change lives, such as those related to irrigation, flood control and water supply. It will also endeavor to strengthen the role of Chinese companies in offering design services overseas and promote international capacity cooperation. More efforts will also be made to provide more training in BRI countries to help them strengthen their water resource management capacity. 记者：侯黎强谷烨华对本文亦有贡献
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By committing to a people-centered approach and obeying the laws of nature, China has made remarkable achievements in water resource management in the past 10 y
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Editor's Note Ahead of the UN 2023 Water Conference, a three-day gathering that will start on Wednesday, World Water Day, Li Guoying, minister of Water Resource
By committing to a people-centered approach and obeying the laws of nature, China has made remarkable achievements in water resource management in the past 10 y