For centuries, people who have lived near the Yellow River have thrived on the water's resources. But the life supply needs controls to avoid drying up or flooding. CGTN's Zhao Yunfei shows us the relationship between man and nature.

At the estuary of the Yellow River, local people enjoy both seafood and so-called "river-food".

Stir-fired trepang is a cuisine that they say visitors should try, along with steamed crabs. One crab at this restaurant can cost four US dollars. Dongying is one of China's hairy crab producers. The Yellow River provides the water source of the crabs' breeding base. He Chuanshun started working here three years ago, when the city began building its food brand.

HE CHUANSHUN CRAB FARMER "I am confident in the market, because we have conducted scientific breeding methods. We farmers have no worries while working here. Thanks to technical support, we can control the crabs' livelihood."

ZHAO YUNFEI DONGYING, SHANDONG PROVINCE "Hairy crabs hatch in the sea but live in fresh water. That's why the Yellow River estuary provides a geographical advantage for growing crabs."

HE says, the mineral substances from the river provide the crabs with nutrition, which can ensure the fertility of the meat. The breeding company has now reached export standards, ergo the Dongying crabs are expected to go abroad. A Chinese saying goes, people are raised by the water and land around them. Dongying relies heavily on the river, from domestic water to agriculture, from industrial consumption to oilfield exploitation.

ZHANG JUNCHEN ENGINEER, DONGYING IRRIGATION DEPARTMENT "People's demand for the water is far more than the quota we have. Reform is necessary. What we can do now is use it sparingly."

Yellow River water serves 12 percent of China's total population, and 15 percent of the nation's agricultural acreage. Some villages in Dongying were bred by the river for nearly a century.

ZHANG YUXIAN PARTY BRANCH SECRETARY, DONGYING SHUANGHEZHEN VILLAGE "We call the Yellow River a mother river. Our relationship is just like descendants with an elder. The river has brought huge benefits to us."

The macro-control of Yellow River water is an ongoing subject that the government continues to study. People are seeking a balance between water consumption and environmental protection. Zhao Yunfei, CGTN, Dongying, Shandong Province.