The Qiankun Bay of the Yellow River on the border between Yanchuan County, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, and Yonghe County, north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 14, 2019. (Xinhua/Tao Ming)
The environment along the Yangtze and Yellow rivers, important ecological barriers and economic zones in China, have seen marked improvements.
BEIJING, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- China's ecological ambition is engraved in the enhanced protection of the Yangtze and Yellow rivers, the two longest in the country, with an aim of realizing a balanced relationship between economic growth and environmental protection.
From Jan. 1, 2020, China began a 10-year fishing ban in key areas of the Yangtze River to protect biodiversity. Observed in 332 conservation areas in the Yangtze River Basin, the ban will also be expanded to all natural waterways of the river basin and its major tributaries from no later than Jan. 1, 2021.
On Jan. 3, the Chinese leadership stressed efforts to enhance ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin, urging curbs on unreasonable water use in the region and differentiated efforts based on local conditions to push for coordinated protection.
The latest measures to protect the two river basins are no coincidence, as China is making unprecedented efforts to step up environmental protection and fight against pollution for sustainable development.
China has listed the ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin, and the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt as national strategies.
The country is mobilizing resources to promote green development of these regions.
The Zigui Yangtze River Bridge in Zigui County, central China's Hubei Province, Sept. 27, 2019. (Xinhua/Zheng Jiayu)
By the end of November 2019, the central budget had earmarked 123.7 billion yuan (17.67 billion U.S. dollars) to support environment rehabilitation in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, according to the People's Daily. In the first 11 months of 2019, the China Development Bank and the Agricultural Development Bank of China issued loans of 362.1 billion yuan and 152.9 billion yuan, respectively, to support Yangtze River protection and green development. The 11 provinces and municipalities along the Yangtze River are making coordinated efforts to protect the region from environmental deterioration.
In the Yellow River Basin, the central authority has ordered attention be given to major issues in the ecological protection and high-quality development of the basin by implementing projects including water source conservation and water and soil loss control.
Thanks to joint efforts, the environment along the Yangtze and Yellow rivers, important ecological barriers and economic zones in China, have seen marked improvements.
By the end of 2019, more than 80 percent of the waters along the Yangtze River Economic Belt were categorized as good quality. Economic output in 11 provinces and municipalities along the river increased 7.1 percent to 31.46 trillion yuan, faster than the growth rate recorded nationally.
The proportion of water with quality higher than third-class in the Yellow River grew 8.7 percentage points year on year in 2018, while that of fifth-class water dropped 3.7 percentage points.
Progress has been made, but much more arduous work lies ahead. China must always guard against ecological risks.
China aims to complete building a moderately prosperous society in all respects in 2020. The country must win the battle to ensure blue skies and clean water and soil.
As long as China maintains strategic focus in improving the ecological environment, the Yangtze and Yellow rivers will be handed down to future generations, clean and beautiful. ■
