CGTN：China strives for ecological protection along Yangtze River

BEIJING, Aug. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- China has been stepping up efforts in ecological protection of the Yangtze River, China's mother river and one of the two longest rivers in the country. 

During his stay in Ma'anshan City in east China's Anhui Province on Wednesday, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visited the Xuejiawa ecological park. 

He inspected the floodwater situation at the Yangtze River, comprehensive renovation of waterfronts, as well as ecological and environmental protection and restoration. 

China has listed the ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin, and the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt as national strategies. 

By the end of November 2019, the central budget had earmarked 123.7 billion yuan (17.67 billion U.S. dollars) to support environment rehabilitation in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, according to the People's Daily. 

Xi also visited Magang Group of China Baowu Steel Group. In a workshop, he learned about the company's resumption of work, production and operations. 

Thanks to its great sacrifice and painstaking efforts, China has basically brought the COVID-19 epidemic under control and the economy is steadily reviving. 

As shown by multiple mid-year indicators, China's economy has ridden out its downturn due to COVID-19 strains and bounced back to growth in the second quarter. 

On Wednesday afternoon, Xi also inspected Chaohu Lake in Hefei, the capital City of Anhui Province, and spoke to soldiers and local officials as well as Party members to help battle the flood.  

Continuous rainfalls in the flood season have lifted the water level in Chaohu Lake, one of China's five largest fresh water lakes. 

Local authorities dispatched 3,000 soldiers as part of the flood relief efforts in July. 

Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG4caUB4ZBw