Water is the source of life, the foundation of all things, and the cradle of civilization. Effective water governance is essential to the survival and development of the Chinese nation and to the unity and prosperity of the state. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the CPC Central Committee, with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core, has approached water governance from a strategic perspective, with the aim of securing the sustainable development of the Chinese nation and safeguarding the country's long-term stability.
Guided by a holistic vision, the CPC Central Committee has advanced innovative governance concepts and practices, upholding the principles of people-centered development and emphasizing the strategic importance of water management. The Central Committee has put forward a comprehensive philosophy of water governance, grounded in four fundamental principles: prioritizing water conservation, ensuring spatial equilibrium, adopting systematic approaches, and promoting synergy between governmental and market mechanisms.
Under this strategic framework, coordinated efforts have been implemented across key areas, including the prevention and mitigation of water-related disasters, the conservation of water resources, the protection and restoration of aquatic ecosystems, and the improvement of water environment governance. These initiatives aim to strengthen national water security, enhance the country's capacity for sustainable water management, and contribute to the broader goal of ensuring prosperity and stability through the effective utilization and stewardship of water resources.
General Secretary Xi Jinping's discourses on water governance are visionary, profound, and wide-ranging. They provide essential guidance for addressing the interrelated challenges of water disasters, resource management, ecological preservation, and environmental protection in the context of China's new journey in the New Era. These discourses also play a vital role in advancing the culture of water governance, promoting harmony between humanity and water, and ensuring firm water security as China strives to become a modern socialist country in all respects.
To facilitate the study, understanding, and practical application of these important ideas by Party officials and the general public, this volume—Xi Jinping on Water Governance—has been compiled.
The compilation draws on over 130 key documents authored by General Secretary Xi Jinping between December 2012 and August 2024, including reports, speeches, addresses, letters, instructions, and written comments. The selected excerpts, totaling 297 passages—some published here for the first time—are categorized into six thematic sections to reflect the breadth and depth of Xi Jinping's thinking on water governance.
Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee
September 2024