19.2 Water Resources Management Since 1978
435
In terms of water resources statistics, the MWR piloted a water resources bulletin
in 17 northern provinces in 1995 and extended it to the whole country in 1998.
Starting in 2003, environmental water use was included among water-use purposes
in the bulletin.
In the late 2000s, several comprehensive strategies were launched, including the
strictest water resources management strategy thus far in 2009 and the river and lake
chief system in the 2000s.
A comprehensive and modern water resources management system has been
developed in China. The system applies to both market mechanisms and commandand-control instruments and introduces public participation, but the implementation
differs between these instruments.
19.3 Water Resources Policy After 1980
19.3.1 1980s: Improving Benefits
In 1978, China began reform and opening policy. In the 1980s, the national strategy of
“economic construction as the center and implementing reform and opening policy”
was developed. In 1982, the 12th National Congress of the CPC decreed that full
economic development should be shifted to the path of “increasing economic benefit
as the” (Hu 1982). In 1984, the 3rd Plenary Session of the 12th Central Committee
of the CPC issued the “Decision on Economic Institutional Reform”, which required
the development of a socialist economic institution with Chinese characteristics. In
1987, the 13th National Congress of the CPC developed the theory of the “primary
stage of socialism” (Zhao 1987). Guided by these strategies, reforms to China’s
economic sector were progressively deepened from the rural areas to urban areas
and from political and economic aspects to other areas, leading to fast economic
development and social change in the 1980s. Compared to figures from 1978, GDP,
national financial income, and average household income had doubled by 1987 (Zhao
1987).
In recognition that “water resources development is the lifeline of agriculture”,
the water sector was one of the few sectors with better development from 1950–
1980 in China. With the implementation of economic reforms, the water sector was
criticized for not being cost-effective. This led to a requirement for the water sector
to summarize lessons and improve operation and management by reforming water
investment and management systems, including identifying cost-effective projects
(Qian 1981).
The rapid economic development of the early 1980s created two challenges for
the water sector: (1) the rural regions had developed from a subsistence economy
to a commodity-based economy, and from traditional agriculture to modern agriculture, which changed the water needs of the regions, and (2) national economic
development, especially industrial and commercial development within urban areas,
435
In terms of water resources statistics, the MWR piloted a water resources bulletin
in 17 northern provinces in 1995 and extended it to the whole country in 1998.
Starting in 2003, environmental water use was included among water-use purposes
in the bulletin.
In the late 2000s, several comprehensive strategies were launched, including the
strictest water resources management strategy thus far in 2009 and the river and lake
chief system in the 2000s.
A comprehensive and modern water resources management system has been
developed in China. The system applies to both market mechanisms and commandand-control instruments and introduces public participation, but the implementation
differs between these instruments.
19.3 Water Resources Policy After 1980
19.3.1 1980s: Improving Benefits
In 1978, China began reform and opening policy. In the 1980s, the national strategy of
“economic construction as the center and implementing reform and opening policy”
was developed. In 1982, the 12th National Congress of the CPC decreed that full
economic development should be shifted to the path of “increasing economic benefit
as the” (Hu 1982). In 1984, the 3rd Plenary Session of the 12th Central Committee
of the CPC issued the “Decision on Economic Institutional Reform”, which required
the development of a socialist economic institution with Chinese characteristics. In
1987, the 13th National Congress of the CPC developed the theory of the “primary
stage of socialism” (Zhao 1987). Guided by these strategies, reforms to China’s
economic sector were progressively deepened from the rural areas to urban areas
and from political and economic aspects to other areas, leading to fast economic
development and social change in the 1980s. Compared to figures from 1978, GDP,
national financial income, and average household income had doubled by 1987 (Zhao
1987).
In recognition that “water resources development is the lifeline of agriculture”,
the water sector was one of the few sectors with better development from 1950–
1980 in China. With the implementation of economic reforms, the water sector was
criticized for not being cost-effective. This led to a requirement for the water sector
to summarize lessons and improve operation and management by reforming water
investment and management systems, including identifying cost-effective projects
(Qian 1981).
The rapid economic development of the early 1980s created two challenges for
the water sector: (1) the rural regions had developed from a subsistence economy
to a commodity-based economy, and from traditional agriculture to modern agriculture, which changed the water needs of the regions, and (2) national economic
development, especially industrial and commercial development within urban areas,