China's major water conservancy projects progress well

In 2014, the Chinese government announced a package of over 170 major water conservation projects. Since then, some substantial progress has been made. 132 projects have been started, and 23 have already been completed. The result has been an improvement in the country's water security.

China's investment in the water conservation projects announced in 2014 totals over 145 billion U.S. dollars. The projects include transferring water from the Yangtze to the Huaihe River, and building the Datengxia hydro-junction in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

People watch the opening of a sluice gate of the middle route of the south-to-north water diversion project in Beijing, capital of China, Dec 27, 2014.[Photp:Xinhua]

Wang An'nan is the chief planner at the Ministry of Water Resources. He said the water conservation projects have had a positive flow-on effect for the country's poverty alleviation efforts.

"The construction of major water conservation projects has the advantages of large coverage, a long industrial chain, and strong driving ability, which have effectively stimulated the development of related industries. What's more, it has provided jobs for farmers, and promoted industrial optimization. Among the 132 projects that have been started, 75 percent are from the western and middle part of China, and 56 percent are from poverty-stricken areas. So the projects have played a very important role in poverty alleviation in the country."

Wang An'nan also said a total of 80 percent of the water projects should be started by the end of next year.

"On one hand, it is necessary to speed up the pace of the construction. On the other, we'll put effort into the preliminary preparation works for the scheduled projects. In this way, some projects are prepared, some are in progress, and others have been completed, which creates a "ladder structure."

China is also stepping up efforts in flood control, water supply, and water ecology management.