Strengthening the supervision and governance of China’s water pollution

APD NEWS

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China has a huge population that relies on the many waterways scattered across the vast nation. At a press conference on Thursday, the country's Ministry of Ecology and Environment said the government continues to work to ensure the Chinese people have access to clean and safe water. This comes amid a recent social media fire-storm over the shady practices of one company that may be illustrative of a larger problem.

The official said the cooperation mechanism of water pollution prevention and treatment has already set up nationwide, and the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta, and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region have improved the linkage mechanism. The three economic regions also share and collaborate on water pollution issues normally associated with rapid urban development.

Across the country, officials are putting in place other measures to ensure waters remain clear. What's known as a river and lake chief system is currently being built up. River and lake chiefs are designated officials responsible for overseeing certain bodies of water. Despite these efforts, issues still remain.

Zhang Bo briefs on water pollution issues at the press conference.

Zhang Bo, director general of the Water Environment Management Department, said that although the environmental protection work has gained some improvement, there are still existing problems. For instance, the extensive development mode has yet to be fundamentally improved, the construction of environmental infrastructure in towns and industrial zones is deficient, and the ecological harm to water is relatively common.

San Wei dumps industrial waste and residue into a nearby river.

One case shows how the memo on China's anti-pollution efforts may not have reached certain sectors of society. The industrial chemical firm San Wei was at the center of a recent scandal.

The company in Shanxi Province has been dumping its industrial waste and residue into farmlands and a nearby river. San Wei was also revealed to have detained a CCTV reporter looking into the company's practices.

Zhang said results of the on-going government investigation into the company will be released as soon as possible. He said that he appreciates the media bringing the issue to light. Information disclosure is an important way to promote environmental protection. The local government has already formed a working group for the investigation to ensure the event can be disposed strictly by the relevant environmental law.

Zhang emphasized that San Wei's case should serve as a reminder for everyone in the country to be on board to protect the environment. He said some regions have to be extra vigilant so pollutants are supervised effectively, and the government will protect waterways, forests, and grasslands, preserve and restore marine ecosystems, treat sewage and waste from urban areas, and address agricultural and rural pollution.

(CGTN)