China has been stepping up efforts in ecological protection of the Yangtze River, China's mother river and one of the two longest rivers in the country.  

During his stay in Ma'anshan City in east China's Anhui Province on Wednesday, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visited the Xuejiawa ecological park. 

He inspected Hefei on Wednesday afternoon, the capital city of east China's Anhui Province, where he checked the water situation of Chaohu Lake and learned about the technological innovation and emerging industries of Anhui Province. 

President Xi also visited a memorial hall marking the PLA's campaign to cross the Yangtze River during the Chinese People's War of Liberation, paying his tribute to revolutionary martyrs. 

Read more: Xi Jinping conducts inspection tour in flood-hit Anhui Province

Ecology first

When visiting the Xuejiawa ecological park, Xi inspected the floodwater situation at the Yangtze River, comprehensive renovation of waterfronts, as well as ecological and environmental protection and restoration. 

He underlined the need to live in harmony with nature, calling on people not to compete for development space with nature.

For thousands of years, the Yangtze River has been important for the Chinese society and the economy. 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 status and role of the Yangtze River and the economic belt mean the development along the river must prioritize ecology and "green development to respect natural, economic and social rules," Xi said when hosting a symposium on improving the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt in January 2016.

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 People's Daily.

China's economic resumption amid dual challenges

Xi's tour came at a time when the country is forging ahead with its economic resumption amid dual challenges of flood relief and regular epidemic control.

Continuous rainfall during the flood season has lifted the water level in Chaohu Lake, one of China's five largest freshwater lakes.

Local authorities dispatched 3,000 soldiers as part of the flood relief efforts in July. More than 600,000 people in Hefei City have been mobilized to battle against floods.

When inspecting Hefei, Xi spoke to soldiers and local officials as well as Party members who have helped battle the floods and expressed his regards to those fighting on the front line.

He also consoled the families of those who died fighting floods when he visited a floodwater diversion zone in Hefei's Feidong County.

Xi told them that their lost loved ones are heroes and deserve respect from everyone. 

"Every time a calamity occurs, heroes charge forward. This embodies the great spirit of the Chinese nation," he said, asking the family members to take good care of themselves.

Xi attaches great importance to the resumption of work and production disrupted by the COVID-19 outbreak.

When inspecting Anhui, he visited Magang Group of China Baowu Steel Group in Ma'anshan to learn about the company's resumption of work, production and operations.

In the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic, Magang Group, with its timely work resumptions, reported year-on-year growth in both output and revenues, reflecting the strong resilience of the state-owned economy, Xi said. 

The steel subsidiary should combine its own reform and development with the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta and strive to develop itself amid the process, he added. 

"Enterprises must not relax and should keep on strictly implementing epidemic prevention and control measures to push forward work resumption while ensuring the safety and health of their workers. We must make up for the time lost and strive to achieve this year's goals." Xi said during his Shanxi inspection in May.

Thanks to its great sacrifice and painstaking efforts, China has basically brought the COVID-19 epidemic under control and the economy is steadily reviving.

As shown by multiple mid-year indicators, China's economy has ridden out its downturn due to COVID-19 strains and bounced back to growth in the second quarter.