Chinese policy bank backs Yangtze and Yellow rivers' conservation

The Agricultural Development Bank of China on Thursday said that it has issued loans totaling approximately 2.7 trillion yuan (about $376.7 billion) for the conservation of the Yangtze and Yellow rivers since 2021.

Specifically, the policy bank has allocated 2.09 trillion yuan for the protection of the Yangtze River and 605.2 billion yuan for the Yellow River.

These loans have supported ecological conservation efforts for China's two major rivers significantly, the bank said.

While scaling up loan support for the conservation of the two rivers, the policy bank will focus on key areas such as water security, transport infrastructure, rural revitalization and food security, it said.

Meanwhile, China will introduce additional measures to protect and manage rivers, improve river ecosystems and promote the development of a water-conserving society, according to a set of guidelines unveiled Thursday.

China aims to see significant improvements by 2035 in flood prevention capacity, efficient use of water resources, reliable water supply in urban and rural regions, and overall river ecosystem health.

China will comprehensively enhance water conservation, advance the construction of a water-saving society and promote the development of water-efficient production and lifestyles, according to the guidelines.

Known as China's "mother rivers," the Yangtze and the Yellow rivers are the country's largest and second-largest rivers, respectively. Both river basins are cradles of the Chinese civilization.

(Cover: Wetlands along the Yellow River in Gannan Zang Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province, northwest China, August 7, 2024. /VCG)