On January 1st, 2012, the New Year’s address is made by the Minister of Water Resources Chen Lei on the web of the Ministry of Water Resources and China Water Resources News. He writes that the past year has been a time of great achievement and progress. The 2011 No.1 Document titled the Decision of the Central Committee of CPC and the State Council on Accelerating the Water Conservancy Reform and Development highlights the role of water conservancy under the new situation, as water conservancy is essential to modern agricultural construction, the irreplaceable foundation of social and economic development and the integral system of ecological environmental improvement, with strong public, fundamental and strategic nature.

The No.1 Document is the first comprehensive policy paper on water conservancy development issued by the Chinese Government. We should give water conservancy works a more prominent position, speeding up construction of water conservancy and promoting it to realize forward development. As we know that the acceleration of water conservancy reform is not only related to agricultural and rural development, but also to the overall economic and social development; not only related to flood control, water supply safety, food security, but also to the economic security, ecological security and national security.

In 2011 we overcame the difficulties raised by severe drought and frequent happening of flood disasters and provided water for a total of 20.55 million people in drought-stricken areas. The number of death toll caused by flood reduced to the lowest since the founding of new China in 1949. The newly increase population of being able to access to safe drinking water in rural areas are 63.98 million.

In 2012, flood control and safe drinking water supply will remain the priority of us. Thus, greater efforts will be made to reduce the loss of potential flood and drought disasters. Concentration will be placed on consolidation of irrigation and drainage infrastructures for securing grain production, as well as safe drinking water supply, major water project construction, and enhancement of water management level by implementing the stringent water resources management system. Finally, the modernization of water conservancy with Chinese characteristics will be realized though water management according to science and law, strengthening the construction of infrastructure, developing water conservancy for people’s livelihood, accelerating the construction of a water-saving society and promoting the sustainable development of water conservancy.