China makes sound progress in protecting Yangtze River

A reach of the Yangtze River in Yichang, Hubei Province, March 4, 2019. [File photo: IC]

Sound progress has been made in tackling water pollution along the Yangtze River, China's longest river, said the country's Ecology and Environment Ministry.

After two years of work, 99.9 percent of the 1,474 drinking water sources in cities above the county-level along the Yangtze River Economic Belt have been secured, Ecology and Environment Minister Li Ganjie told a news conference on the sidelines of the annual legislative session.

Ecology and Environment Minister Li Ganjie attends a news conference on "fighting resolutely to prevent and control pollution" as part of the second session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, March 11, 2019. [Photo: Xinhua]

"Over 90 percent of the 12 water bodies that were 'black and malodorous' in provincial capital cities have been cleaned up, while prefecture-level cities are catching up on this front," Li said.

"A special campaign launched last year has dealt with more than 1,300 illegal acts when it comes to disposing of solid and hazardous waste into the Yangtze," said the minister.

Li said that some specific issues have also been addressed concerning the ecological damage to nature reserves in the Yangtze River basin.