On Sept 30, Li Guoying, Minister of Water Resources, attended a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) to brief the media on accelerating the construction of a modernized water network. The conference was part of the “Embarking on the 15th Five-Year Plan” series. Li also answered questions from reporters alongside Sun Zhiyu, Vice Minister of Water Resources and heads of relevant departments.
Li Guoying said that building the national water network to address issues concerning water-related disasters, water resources, aquatic ecosystems and aquatic environments in a coordinated manner is a major strategic decision made by the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core.
During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the water sector will remain firmly committed to President Xi Jinping’s water governance principles of “prioritizing water conservation, balancing spatial distribution, taking systematic approaches and promoting government-market synergy,” he said.
Efforts will focus on building a modernized water network which is systematically complete, safe and reliable, intensive and efficient, green and smart, cyclic and unobstructed, and orderly regulated. This will involve strengthening overall planning, optimizing the network’s layout and structure, and promoting integration. The sector will build the “ropes” of the national water network, weave its “meshes” more closely and reinforce its “knots.”
China will accelerate efforts to develop basin-wide flood control and disaster mitigation systems; optimize the allocation of water resources and establish a system for securing water supplies; establish an aquatic ecosystem protection and governance system; and build a digital twin water network. It will fully harness the advantages and overall effectiveness of a super-large-scale water network system to provide strong water security for advancing the cause of building a great country and national rejuvenation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization.
Li Guoying said that construction of a modernized water network has gathered pace this year, which marks the beginning of the 15th Five-Year Plan period. From January to September of 2026, 41,400 water projects were implemented and investment in water project construction reached 795 billion yuan, creating 2.01 million jobs.
The accelerated implementation of water network projects and the tangible results they delivered helped the country cope with floods above warning levels on 998 rivers and the largest floods since records began on 49 rivers. These efforts had maximized the protection of people’s lives and property and minimized losses caused by flood disasters.
During the same period, construction was completed on 2,012 rural water supply projects, improving water supply security for 30.24 million rural residents. Nearly 200 billion cubic meters of water was supplied for irrigation, covering more than 750 million mu (50 million hectares). Summer grain harvested from irrigated farmland accounted for 88 percent of the country’s total summer grain output.
Restoration gains were consolidated in 88 revitalized rivers and lakes, while a second round of the “mother river rejuvenation” action was initiated, covering 111 rivers and lakes.
These achievements provided strong support for flood protection, water supply security, food security and ecological security.
Looking ahead, Li Guoying said the water sector will make every effort to advance the construction of a modern water network. Through dedicated work, practical action and effective implementation, it will strive to turn the grand vision for water governance in the new century into reality and make further contributions to promoting the high-quality development in water sector and safeguarding China’s water security.
Source: INTCE