Chinese envoy showcases China's water policy at UN General Assembly

UNITED NATIONS, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Ma Zhaoxu on Friday showcased China's water policy and achievements at a high-level event of the UN General Assembly to launch the "International Decade for Action: Water for Sustainable Development."

With the worsening effects of climate change, sustained population growth, industrialization and accelerated urbanization, water resources and water-related environmental and ecological problems are becoming more prominent, said Ma.

Water is essential to realize the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, especially the elimination of poverty and hunger and improvement of health and sanitation, he added.

The Chinese government works actively to implement an innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared development concept, and tries to achieve harmony between humans and their use of water in the country's development, Ma said.

According to Ma, China has six water policies: One, comprehensively implement the strictest regime for water resources management to force economic upgrading and green development.

Two, increase the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of water use and implement a nationwide plan to save water.

Three, pay great attention to ecological protection in the development of water resources by promoting clean production, hazardless processing and water recycling.

Four, scale up efforts to prevent and treat water pollution and improve the water quality of river basin areas.

Five, realize water ecological rehabilitation and improve the capability of conserving and protecting water sources. "We have in this respect conducted pilot projects of building cities with ecologically healthy water resources and sponge cities," Ma said.

Six, continuously improve the water governance system and mobilize the whole society to participate.

With only 6 percent of the world's fresh water resources and 9 percent of the world's arable land, China has managed to feed 21 percent of the global population, said Ma.

From 2010 to 2016, China's water usage per 10,000 U.S. dollars of gross domestic product went down by 25.3 percent, while the usage per 10,000 dollars of industrial value increase decreased by 27.5 percent, Ma said, adding that the country has maintained a medium to high economic growth rate with a slight increase of total water usage, which is an important contribution to global development.

China has also conducted all-round cooperation with water-related international organizations and hosted important international events on water such as the Yangtze River Forum and the International Yellow River Forum, the envoy said.

China has provided assistance to over 30 developing countries in water conservancy and hydropower plant construction, and trained more than 2,000 technical and management personnel from over 100 countries, with a view to steadily enhancing the capacity of technical personnel of other developing countries, he said.

Going forward, Ma said, China is ready to further deepen cooperation with the international community to promote the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, and to build a beautiful home with ecological security and green development. Enditem