Ecological Conservation of the Yangtze River and the Yellow River

The Yangtze and Yellow rivers are two great waterways; they are cradles of the Chinese nation and have fostered China's brilliant civilization.

The Yangtze River runs across southern China from west to east. It is the main artery of a huge economic and social system on its upper and lower reaches, on both banks, and along its trunk stream and tributaries. It is a strategic water source, ecological treasure house, and golden waterway. It is also an important channel that connects the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

The Yellow River runs through the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the Loess Plateau and the North China Plain in northern China, and is an ecological corridor linking these three geographic terrains. The areas it traverses make up China's primary economic regions and core cultural protection zones. These are also the places where various ethnic groups live and have fought a successful battle against poverty.

The development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the ecological conservation and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin are two major strategies of critical importance to China. They are of historic significance to the rejuvenation and sustainable development of the Chinese nation.

Respecting the long-term interests of the Chinese nation, Xi Jinping has since 2012 involved himself in national plans and strategies such as the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the eco-conservation and quality development of the Yellow River Basin.

He has participated in different seminars in cities along the Yangtze River, and has also chaired a forum on the conservation and development of the Yellow River Basin.

At its fourth plenary session, the 19th CPC Central Committee in October 2019 emphasized the importance of the eco-environmental conservation and systematic improvement of major waterways like the Yangtze and Yellow rivers. Strengthening the eco-environmental protection and governance of the Yangtze River, the Yellow River, and other major rivers, as well as important lakes and wetlands, has also been written into the 14th Five-year Plan.

Protecting the ecosystems of these two rivers, China will act on the principle that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, and will prioritize ecological conservation and pursue green development. It will follow such guidelines as "promoting well-coordinated conservation and avoiding excessive development" and "making comprehensive plans and joint efforts to protect the ecosystem."

Development and protection should go hand in hand, to balance economic and social development with population, resources and the environment, to give full play to the ecological, social and economic effects of nature, and to fill the two rivers with vigor and vitality.

長(zhǎng)江、黃河生態(tài)系統(tǒng)保護(hù)

長(zhǎng)江、黃河是中華民族的搖籃，哺育了燦爛的中華文明。長(zhǎng)江橫跨東、中、西部三大經(jīng)濟(jì)區(qū)，以水為紐帶，連接上下游、左右岸、干支流，形成經(jīng)濟(jì)社會(huì)大系統(tǒng)，是中國(guó)重要的戰(zhàn)略水源地、生態(tài)寶庫(kù)和重要的黃金水道，也是連接絲綢之路經(jīng)濟(jì)帶和21世紀(jì)海上絲綢之路的重要通道。黃河流域橫跨中國(guó)北方東中西三大地理階梯，是連接青藏高原、黃土高原和華北平原的生態(tài)廊道，是中國(guó)重要的經(jīng)濟(jì)地帶和核心文化保護(hù)傳承區(qū)，也是多民族聚居地和打贏脫貧攻堅(jiān)戰(zhàn)的重要區(qū)域。推動(dòng)長(zhǎng)江經(jīng)濟(jì)帶發(fā)展、黃河流域生態(tài)保護(hù)和高質(zhì)量發(fā)展，是關(guān)系國(guó)家發(fā)展全局的重大戰(zhàn)略，對(duì)實(shí)現(xiàn)中華民族偉大復(fù)興和永續(xù)發(fā)展具有重大現(xiàn)實(shí)意義和深遠(yuǎn)歷史影響。

中共十八大以來(lái)，習(xí)近平站在歷史和全局的高度，從中華民族長(zhǎng)遠(yuǎn)利益出發(fā)，親自謀劃、親自部署、親自推動(dòng)長(zhǎng)江經(jīng)濟(jì)帶發(fā)展、黃河流域生態(tài)保護(hù)和高質(zhì)量發(fā)展等國(guó)家重大戰(zhàn)略。2016年1月、2018年4月、2020年11月，習(xí)近平分別在重慶、湖北武漢、江蘇南京主持召開推動(dòng)長(zhǎng)江經(jīng)濟(jì)帶發(fā)展座談會(huì)、深入推動(dòng)長(zhǎng)江經(jīng)濟(jì)帶發(fā)展座談會(huì)、全面推動(dòng)長(zhǎng)江經(jīng)濟(jì)帶發(fā)展座談會(huì)并發(fā)表重要講話。2019年9月，習(xí)近平主持召開黃河流域生態(tài)保護(hù)和高質(zhì)量發(fā)展座談會(huì)并發(fā)表重要講話。2019年10月，中共十九屆四中全會(huì)決定指出，要加強(qiáng)長(zhǎng)江、黃河等大江大河生態(tài)保護(hù)和系統(tǒng)治理。2021年3月，“十四五”規(guī)劃《綱要》提出，要加強(qiáng)長(zhǎng)江、黃河等大江大河和重要湖泊濕地生態(tài)保護(hù)治理。

長(zhǎng)江、黃河生態(tài)系統(tǒng)保護(hù)就是要堅(jiān)持綠水青山就是金山銀山的理念，堅(jiān)定不移走生態(tài)優(yōu)先、綠色發(fā)展之路，堅(jiān)持“共抓大保護(hù)、不搞大開發(fā)”“共同抓好大保護(hù)、協(xié)同推進(jìn)大治理”，在發(fā)展中保護(hù)，在保護(hù)中發(fā)展，實(shí)現(xiàn)經(jīng)濟(jì)社會(huì)發(fā)展與人口、資源、環(huán)境相協(xié)調(diào)，使綠水青山產(chǎn)生巨大生態(tài)效益、經(jīng)濟(jì)效益、社會(huì)效益，使母親河永葆生機(jī)活力。