Fenhe River (Yingze section), the second largest tributary of the Yellow River, has new scenery on both sides. Photo by People's Daily reporter Wang Fan On September 12, 2024, General Secretary Xi Jinping chaired a symposium on comprehensively promoting ecological protection and

The Fenhe River (Yingze Section), the second largest tributary of the Yellow River, has new scenery on both sides. Photo by People's Daily reporter Wang Fan

On September 12, 2024, General Secretary Xi Jinping chaired a symposium on comprehensively promoting ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin in Lanzhou City, Gansu Province, emphasizing the need to promote ecological protection in the entire basin to a new level and green transformation. There has been new progress, new results in high-quality development, and new improvements in people's lives, creating a new situation in ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin.

"The Yellow River is peaceful and the world is peaceful." The Yellow River is the mother river of the Chinese nation, and it was also a river of sorrow. Because of its "multiple siltations, multiple outbursts, and multiple migrations", in the more than 2,500 years before the founding of the People's Republic of China, the lower reaches of the Yellow River overflowed more than 1,500 times and changed its course 26 times, bringing huge disasters to the people.

"In a sense, the history of the Chinese nation's governance of the Yellow River is also a history of governance." General Secretary Xi Jinping has deep concerns about the governance of the Yellow River.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping has traveled to 9 provinces and regions in the upper, middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, constantly thinking deeply about the mother river and making foresight.

As early as September 2019, ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin became a national strategy. Over the past five years, the nine provinces and autonomous regions along the Yellow River have jointly protected and promoted comprehensive management, and have worked together to sing the "Yellow River Cantata" in the new era.

Focus on projects that benefit the people

The Yellow River will make people’s production and life more convenient and secure

How can the Yellow River be peaceful? Inseparable from engineering.

On the morning of September 11, General Secretary Xi Jinping, who was inspecting Gansu, listened to a report on the construction and operation of the Gansu Tao Water Supply Project at the Nanshan Huaniu Apple Base in Maiji District, Tianshui City. During his inspection in Gansu in February 2013, Xi Jinping made a special trip to Weiyuan County, Dingxi City to inspect the construction of the project. After 11 years, Xi Jinping was very happy to learn that the project was progressing smoothly and that the sweet Tao River water had benefited nearly 6 million people. He said that the Tao water supply project was well constructed and more projects like this should be carried out to benefit the people and effectively solve the production and living problems faced by the people.

Building projects on the Yellow River is easier said than done?

Sanmenxia Dam. People's Daily Online reporter Shen Zhiyuan photo

Raise the red flag and heaven and earth open up. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Sanmenxia Dam in Henan, the "first dam on the Yellow River", was miraculously built without Dayu's axe.

"Practice has proved that only under the leadership of the Communist Party of China and giving full play to the advantages of the socialist system can we truly realize the historic transformation from passive to active management of the Yellow River and fundamentally change the tragic situation of the Yellow River bursting every three years." General Secretary Xi Jinping said .

Then, the dam was raised to regulate sediment, protect Anlan, and protect water supply, the Yellow River and Suning.

On September 12, 1994, the main project of Xiaolangdi Water Conservancy Project officially started, and the main project was completed in 2000. As a control project with a large storage capacity in the main stream of the Yellow River, Xiaolangdi effectively performs functions such as flood control, ice protection, siltation reduction, water supply, and irrigation, and has achieved significant economic, social and ecological benefits.

It is not only necessary for the Yellow River to be "restful", but also for the Yellow River to continue to "make contributions".

In January 1976, the construction of the Longyangxia Hydropower Station, a large-scale water conservancy project designed and constructed by my country, began. It took more than ten years to put all the units into operation and generate electricity. Among them, the commissioning of Unit 2 of the power station for power generation marks the breakthrough of China’s installed power capacity of 100 million kilowatts.

Panoramic view of the dam of the Malda Hydropower Station.Photo by Zhang Haixuan (Photo provided by Ma'er Dam Hydropower Station)

On June 8 this year, the national and Qinghai Provincial key energy project Ma'er Dam Hydropower Station successfully completed the no-load characteristic test of the speed governor system of the No. 4 unit. As a high-altitude project under construction in the upper reaches of the Yellow River , large-scale installed hydropower project, it will become the backbone power point of "Transmitting Electricity from West to East" and "Transmitting Green Electricity to Henan".

The Dawen River is the largest first-class tributary in the lower reaches of the Yellow River. Recently, the Zhuanshe Barrage Project of Dawen River in Feicheng Section, Shandong Province has entered the final stage. In the future, the river barrage here and the upstream and downstream built projects will implement joint dispatching to retain and regulate floods. At the same time, it can conserve underground water resources, improve the ecological environment, and play a key role in promoting regional economic and social development.

In July this year, another key control project on the main stream of the Yellow River, the Guxian Water Conservancy Project, entered the construction stage. The left bank of the project is Ji County, Linfen City, Shanxi Province, and the right bank is Yichuan County, Yan'an City, Shaanxi Province. It is about 450 kilometers away from the Xiaolangdi Reservoir. After completion, it will become a new heavyweight "weight" to ensure the long-term stability of the Yellow River.

Grasping the ecological protection of the basin

The Yellow River will make the mountains greener, the water more beautiful, and the people happier

Managing the Yellow River means continuing to improve the coordinated pattern of ecological protection in the Yellow River basin and building a solid ecological security barrier. Through the in-depth implementation of major projects to protect and restore important ecosystems, we will improve the stability of river basin ecosystems, turn green waters and green mountains into valuable assets, and help the people build a better home with beautiful river basin ecology.

The scenery along the Yellow River in Lanzhou is beautiful. Photo provided by Lanzhou Federation of Literary and Art Circles

Before the founding of New China, the north and south mountains of Lanzhou City, Gansu Province were barren and barren, with no trees. Nowadays, the northern and southern mountains are already covered with green trees. In recent years, with the focus on "one river, two banks, facades, two mountains, two lines, and two ends", Lanzhou City has actively implemented the comprehensive management of the Yellow River water ecological environment and the transformation and upgrading of the Yellow River style line. At the same time, it has actively promoted the Lanzhou section of the Yellow River. Wetland ecological restoration and management, the Yintan Wetland, Madan Wetland, and Tanjianzi Wetland were built, and 1.09 million square meters of wetlands were treated and restored; 23 national key water and soil conservation projects were implemented, and 96.06 square kilometers of water and soil erosion were comprehensively controlled.

"We will keep in mind General Secretary Xi Jinping's instructions, take the construction of the National Yellow River Cultural Park as the guide, build the coast of the Yellow River more beautiful, open up the transformation channel between 'lucid waters and lush mountains' and 'gold and silver mountains', and strive to build Lanzhou into the western region." An important hub station on the tourism ring, a national Yellow River cultural tourism destination and a cultural tourism demonstration area on the golden section of the International Silk Road, the mother river has become a happy river that benefits the people of Lanzhou," said the relevant person in charge of the Lanzhou Yellow River Scenic Area Management Committee. .

In Sichuan Province, which borders Gansu Province, Ruoergai County is also going all out. As an important area where the Yellow River flows through Sichuan, Ruoergai County shoulders a major ecological protection mission. All ethnic groups work together here to protect the ecological environment of the mother river and contribute to the ecological stability of the Yellow River Basin. "The intensity of ecological protection in Zoige is unprecedented. Now the environment is beautiful everywhere in Zoige. The mountains have become greener, the water has become clearer, and the sky has become bluer. Moreover, tourism is booming, and our people have become rich in an all-round way. "In the eyes of forest ranger Wang Xiaoqiu, these are the results of ecological protection.

A young man from Zoige returned to his hometown to start a business in Bazhaxi. Photo courtesy of Ruoergai County Financial Media Center

The rolling Yellow River has flowed for thousands of years, nourishing the fertile soil of China and protecting the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

As the first stop of the Yellow River entering Ningxia, in Shapotou District, Zhongwei City, the Yellow River turns a unique "U"-shaped bend. The south bank of the "bend" is an oasis created by alluvial deposits, and the century-old village of Dawan Village He sat on it.Relying on the Yellow River landscape, we restored local characteristic buildings and built a cultural tourism complex - "Suji (B&B Cluster)". This not only activated Dawan Village, but also provided a big stage for the young people in the village to return to their hometowns for employment. At the same time, it has become a Ningxia's most popular and stylish new tourism business card in recent years. More and more people are coming here, and local people are returning to Dawan Village to find jobs and start businesses. "The once-abandoned canteen in the village has reopened and is very lively," said Li Xuejing, a young man who returned home.

When you walk into the "Old Street and Long Alley" Intangible Cultural Heritage Street in Lijin County, Shandong Province, you will be greeted by the rich Yellow River culture carrying the smoke and smoke of human beings passed down from generation to generation - the melodious Nanling dulcimer and the loud and powerful tamping horn at the mouth of the Yellow River. The wine aroma of "Drunken Yellow River Man" is mixed with the wheat aroma of fried buns. It has been passed down through the years and has a long aftertaste. “Since the old street was built, our cloth has been in short supply.” Dong Caixia, head of the county-level intangible cultural heritage “Thousand Hands Weaving” workshop, smiled heartily, “Now our looms can not only be used for weaving, It can be viewed and experienced, and it has also helped more villagers increase their income and become rich."

Grasping the high-quality development of the basin

The Yellow River has made the industry more revitalized and has sufficient development potential.

On September 6, tourists were in Yan. Anshi Yichuan County Hukou Waterfall scenic spot tour. People's Daily Photo by Wu Defeng

The great river Anlan, what more hope can there be?

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that rural revitalization depends on industry, and each region must develop its own strengths and follow its own revitalization path.

Fenhe River, the second largest tributary of the Yellow River, flows down from Guanlin Mountain, passes through mountains and ridges, and finally merges into the Yellow River in Miaoqian Village, Ronghe Town, Wanrong County, Shanxi Province, and goes all the way south. In recent years, Wanrong has relied on the resource advantages of Huangfen tidal flat to build a high-yield and efficient demonstration base for grains such as wheat, rice, and peanuts. In 2023, Wanrong County and Anhui Quanyin Hi-Tech Seed Company jointly carried out experimental demonstrations of more than 20 varieties of new rice varieties on the tidal flats of Ronghe Town. According to authoritative test results, the average yield per mu exceeds 1,300 kilograms.

"The seed production test of new rice varieties on the Yellow River tidal flat was successful, breaking the previous single-season rice planting model and realizing the rice-wheat rotation planting model in the Yellow River Basin, which greatly improved farmers' planting efficiency." said He Chunjuan, chief engineer of the Wanrong County Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau.

The primary industry is developing strongly, and the secondary industry is not far behind.

In Shandong, Yike’s high-end polymer new material project accelerated its progress bar. "Our project has a green and environmentally friendly production process and a wide range of product applications. After it is put into production, it will achieve import substitution of high-end products." said Cao Jixin, director of the Project Integrated Office. According to reports, the number of high-tech enterprises in 9 cities along the Yellow River in Shandong will reach 15,000 in 2023, 3.4 times that of 2019; in the first half of this year, the added value of large-scale industrial enterprises in the province increased by 8.5% year-on-year. The added value of manufacturing enterprises increased by 8.6%.

In Henan, Shuai Shixi, deputy general manager of China Silicon Hi-Tech, is full of confidence: "Our goal is to achieve domestic substitution of silicon-based material products in the integrated circuit field." Shuai Shixi said that the company has developed a variety of new high-end silicon-based material products based on national strategic needs. At the same time, the digital twin factory and intelligent data information platform built at the same time have realized three-dimensional visualization of the factory, environmental protection management and control, and intelligent equipment inspection.

And the tertiary industry is also closely following the pace of the second industry.

A Yellow River stone painting created by Lu Ting, a painter from Hainan District, Wuhai City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Photographed by People's Daily Online reporter Liu Yilin

In Saihanwusu Village, Hainan District, Wuhai City, Inner Mongolia, on the bank of the Yellow River, farmyards are scattered in a well-proportioned manner, and a creative base, intangible cultural heritage museum, and folk customs museum are displayed in sequence. The unique northwest residential style attracts the attention of tourists from all over the country.The village has also become a national rural tourism model village, a national civilized village and a national "one village, one product" model town. The villagers have embarked on the road to wealth through rural tourism.

If it is suitable for water, it will be water; if it is suitable for mountains, it will be mountains; if it is suitable for food, it will be food; if it is suitable for agriculture, it will be agriculture; if it is suitable for industry, it will be industry; if it is suitable for business, it will be business. Over the past five years, the provinces and regions along the Yellow River have actively developed characteristic agriculture, rural tourism, strategic emerging industries, and advanced manufacturing based on reality, and have continuously explored new high-quality development paths with regional characteristics, and their development potential has continued to increase.

(Shi Yan, Malu, Liu Yilin, Gu Yuxue, Qiao Shu, Zhu Hong, Wu Defeng, Gao Xiang, Zhang Liping, Kuan Ren, Mu Guohu)