The Yellow River, often revered as the "mother river" of the Chinese nation, has a history that is intertwined with the governance of the country. Since the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, China has deepened reforms to promote the development of an ecological civilization. A wide-ranging blueprint for the environmental protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River basin has been laid out since, opening up a new chapter in the governance of the Yellow River.

CGTN reporter Feng Yilei visits counties and cities along the Yellow River in Shandong Province to take a look at the dramatic changes in the region as part of this year's China Environmental Protection Century Tour, a major environmental campaign led by the Standing Committee of China's top legislature for more than three decades. It aims to increase public awareness about environmental issues and advance protection efforts. This year's theme focuses on implementing Chinese President Xi Jinping's Thought on Ecological Civilization and enforcing the Yellow River Protection Law.