A Thirst For Power: China's Water Grid Shapes Its Future
(MENAFN- Asia Times)
Much attention has focused on China's recent approval of a massive hydropower dam but less has been said about the next crucial step in the country's water management strategy – the creation of a national water grid.
Will it become the long-awaited solution to the country's water challenges, or is it another ambitious venture destined to run dry?
In many ways, China's history is shaped by its relationship with water. Its river systems, topography, and hydrological conditions have played an integral role in the country's development.
Historiographers often note that these conditions were integral to the creation of three historical miracles : China, Chinese civilization and the Chinese people. This long-standing connection between China and its waterways provides the backdrop for understanding the nation's modern water management challenges.
Water holds profound significance in Chinese history as both a vital resource and a symbol of power. Chinese rulers have long understood the importance of water in maintaining political stability. This dates back over 4,000 years to Yu the Great of the Xia Dynasty, who is said to have tamed the Yellow River.
More recently, water governance has remained central to China's development goals, as evidenced by Chinese President Xi Jinping's“ecological civilization” concept and a book he publishe on water governance.
The latest stage in China's water management is the creation of a national water grid. This project aims to ensure a more balance water availability across the country and also address scarcity in northern China. Connected to the South-North Water Transfer Project (SNWTP), the national water grid system is known as the sanzhong siheng.
“Sanzhong” refers to the SNWTP's three routes:
the eastern route, via the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal;
the middle route, from the Danjiangkou Reservoir in Hubei to Beijing and Tianjin; and
the controversial western route.
“Siheng” refers to the four eastern-flowing rivers: Haihe, Yellow, Huaihe and Yangtze.
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