China's water conservancy investment hits record high in 2024

China invested a record 1.35 trillion yuan (about $188 billion) in constructing water conservancy facilities in 2024, official data showed on Tuesday.

According to the Ministry of Water Resources, 47,000 water conservancy projects were carried out this year, providing strong support for national flood control and water supply.

As part of efforts to advance rural revitalization, more than 20,000 rural water supply projects were completed this year, enhancing water security for over 100 million rural residents.

China has also made progress in groundwater management, achieving a 31.9 percent reduction in the amount of groundwater over-extraction in 2024 compared to a decade ago.

Additionally, the country continued to combat water and soil loss, treating an extra 64,000 square kilometers of affected land in 2024.

(Cover: The Jiangdu water conservancy hub at the source of the eastern route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province, east China, December 14, 2024. /CFP)