Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Yan Yan
On the morning of May 14th, Nanyang, Henan, an important meeting concerning the issue of "drinking water" for hundreds of millions of people was held.
General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over a symposium on advancing the high-quality development of the follow-up project of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, setting the tone for the next step of the construction and development of the project in this century.
(1) The pattern of water resources affects the pattern of economic and social development
Water is the basic, leading, and controlling element of economic and social development, and an important support for the national development strategy.
The South-to-North Water Diversion, a super project that aims to solve the problem of "the North is short of Nanfeng" in the distribution of my country's water resources, is the largest water diversion project in the world.
Since the completion of the main project of the first phase of the east and middle routes, more than 40 billion cubic meters of water have been transferred, directly benefiting 120 million people.
This project has a heavy weight in General Secretary Xi Jinping's mind.
He once said: "I am very concerned about the South-to-North Water Diversion. This is a national event, a century project, and a popular project. It is on the same level as the Three Gorges Project."
In 2013 and 2014, when the first phase of the east and middle route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project was officially opened, the general secretary gave important instructions.
In November last year, the General Secretary visited Jiangsu and came to the Jiangdu Water Conservancy Project at the source of the east line; before this symposium, he made a special trip to the head of the middle line and took a boat to inspect the Danjiangkou Reservoir to find the source of the canal.
On the morning of May 14, Xi Jinping hosted a symposium on advancing the high-quality development of the follow-up project of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project in Nanyang City, Henan Province and delivered an important speech.
Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ju Peng
Why did you choose to hold this symposium at this time?
This year is the beginning of the "14th Five-Year Plan".
The "14th Five-Year Plan" outline clearly proposes to promote the construction of the follow-up project of the East and Middle Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion, and to deepen the comparison and selection of the western route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project.
This is a new stage of national development, an inevitable requirement for strengthening and optimizing the allocation and supply of water resources——
From the top-level design level, the "Master Plan for the South-to-North Water Diversion Project" has been promulgated for nearly 20 years.
Over the years, my country’s total economic volume, industrial structure, and urbanization level have been significantly improved, and important changes have taken place in the economic and social structure and development methods, and the level of science and technology and overall national strength have been significantly improved;
From the regional strategic level, for example, as the main water-receiving area of North China, the coordinated development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, the development and construction of the Xiongan New Area, the ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin have been implemented successively;
In addition, how to adapt to the construction of a new development pattern, form a unified national market and a smooth domestic cycle, and promote the coordinated development of the north and the south. Water resources are an important bearing and restricting factor...
Asking it to be clear as promised, it is a source of fresh water.
The pattern of water resources affects and determines the pattern of economic and social development.
A planning and design plan for the follow-up project of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project that meets the requirements of the new era and new stage is waiting to be released.
(2) Water and high-quality development reflect the harmonious symbiosis between man and nature
Currently, the South-to-North Water Diversion Project is advancing the planning and construction of follow-up projects on the east and middle routes, and at the same time carrying out preliminary work such as comparison and selection of plans for the west route.
At this symposium, the general secretary put forward 6 requirements for promoting the high-quality development of the follow-up project of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project.
These six requirements do not involve specific follow-up engineering planning and design schemes, but are overall guiding deployments.
But perusing the manuscript, you can find that there are far-reaching considerations, profound implications, and profound directions behind each requirement.
Prioritize water saving, this is the bottom line.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward the 16-character water governance thinking of "water saving priority, spatial balance, systematic governance, and two-handed effort", and "water saving priority" is the top priority.
Half a year ago, when inspecting the source of the Eastern Front, the general secretary emphasized that "we cannot increase water transfer while wasting water at will."
At this symposium, the general secretary further emphasized that "water saving is the fundamental way out for the water-receiving area."
This is November 13, 2020. Xi Jinping was at the Jiangdu Water Conservancy Project to learn about the planning and construction of the East Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project and the operation of the Jiangdu Water Conservancy Project.
Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Xie Huanchi
It’s not that the thousands of miles of South Water can be used to squander, engage in unrealistic industries and urban construction, or even engage in the so-called "lake-making movement". The urban spatial layout must be optimized based on the water resources carrying capacity , Industrial structure, population scale, use water to determine city, water to determine land, water to determine people, and water to determine production.
Ecological and environmental protection, this is a red line.
The success or failure of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project depends on water quality. Water resources, water ecology, and water environment must be coordinated and managed systematically.
The general secretary has repeatedly emphasized the principle of “three firsts and three later”: “first save water and then transfer water, first treat pollution and then pass water, first environmental protection and then use water”. This symposium also clearly defined “strengthening ecological and environmental protection” as A requirement for advancing the implementation of water transfer projects.
Regardless of whether it is water saving or pollution control, water resources must be taken as rigid constraints, forcing economic transformation and industrial upgrading, accelerating the formation of water-saving green production and lifestyles, and promoting a comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development.
Governing water is like governing a country.
The relationship between water and high-quality development reflects the modern concept of harmonious coexistence between man and nature.
(3) The net for promoting development and the net for ensuring safety
Like high-speed railway networks, road networks, and power grids, national water networks are receiving increasing attention.
At this symposium, the general secretary proposed to "speed up the construction of a national water network."
The South-to-North Water Diversion Project is crucial in accelerating the process of building the main skeleton and main artery of the national water network.
According to the "General Plan for the South-to-North Water Diversion Project", relying on the abundant water sources of the Yangtze River, the east, middle and west routes of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project are connected with the Yangtze River, Huai River, Yellow River and Haihe River to form a "four horizontal and three vertical" as the main body. The backbone of the national water network.
In this water network, the three water transfer lines of the east line, the middle line and the west line have their own water supply ranges and water supply targets. They form an organic whole with the four major rivers and complement each other. They can cover the Huanghuaihai Basin, Jiaodong area and In some areas of the inland rivers in the northwest, the rational allocation of water resources from north to south and east to west will be realized.
This water network is not only a large network that promotes coordinated development, but also a large network that provides strong water safety guarantees for the comprehensive construction of a modern socialist country.
Therefore, the South-to-North Water Diversion, a major matter of the country, does not involve one region or one region. It cannot be single-line or engineering-based. It must be grasped from the perspective of overall development and security and from the perspective of the overall situation of the country.
(4) Scientific and reasonable and historical patience
Throughout the history of Chinese civilization, from Dayu's control of water, to Dujiangyan, Zhengguoqu, Lingqu, and then to the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, the removal of water damage and the benefit of water will not only benefit the present, but also the future generations.
The South-to-North Water Diversion Project is in the contemporary era and will benefit the future.
As a major project for the future, we must have sufficient historical patience, and we need to do a good job of scientific demonstration.
The concept of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project was put forward in the 1950s. After half a century of demonstration, hundreds of thousands of builders have worked hard for more than 10 years, and hundreds of thousands of immigrants have dedicated their families to make the dream of the century come true.
How to get to the second phase of the east line?
How to advance the mid-line river diversion project to complement Han?
How to design the western route plan?
These are all propositions that need scientific answers.
For the next step, the general secretary’s request emphasized adherence to the “systematic concept” and “following the rules”, and reiterated the principle of demonstration of major water conservancy projects of “definitely necessary, ecologically safe, and sustainable”.
Special mention: "We must adhere to economic rationality", "strengthen multi-plan comparison and demonstration, and reduce the number of land acquisition and resettlement as much as possible";
Special emphasis is given to: "Improve the planning and design of follow-up projects, coordinate the opinions of departments, localities and experts, and carry out research on major issues" and "ensure that the planning and design schemes presented can withstand the tests of history and practice."
The only thing that comes out of politics is to benefit the people.
These requirements reflect a sense of responsibility to history and a sense of mission to the people.
Just as the General Secretary said to the villagers in the immigrant village of Xichuan County, Nanyang this time:
"The people are the world. Our Communist Party fights and guards the world, it is for the happiness of the people, and it is the hearts of the people."
Lead writers: Zhu Jichai, Liu Shiping
Producer: Zhao Cheng
Planning: Huo Xiaoguang
Coordinator: Zhang Xiaosong, Zou Wei, Shi Yongnan, Wang Xuan
Visual | Editor: Wu Jingjing, Jiang Xiao, Zhang Huihui, Bao Yuhan, Hao Xiaojing, Zhu Gaoxiang
Xinhua News Agency internal production
Produced by Xinhua News Agency No. 1 Studio