Better protection of rivers urged

China has unveiled new guidelines to enhance the protection and governance of its rivers, emphasizing the comprehensive management of water-related disasters, water resources, and the ecology and environment of the waterways.

The country aims to significantly improve flood control capabilities by 2035, with a modernized river basin flood control and disaster reduction system largely in place, using guidelines recently issued by the general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, China's Cabinet.

The guidelines emphasize the importance of maintaining river stability by adopting a new flood control and disaster reduction approach that prioritizes synergy between river basins and regions, along with the integration of engineering and nonengineering solutions. The need to coordinate flood control systems for main and tributary rivers, improve resilience to climate change, and strengthen preparedness for extreme rainstorms and floods has also been highlighted as a priority.