The ecological flows of 98.6 percent of the major rivers and lakes in China are up to the required standard, said Minister of Water Resources Li Guoying at a press conference in Beijing on Monday.
The minister made the declaration at the press conference held by the State Council Information Office on the development achievements in the water sector during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025).
"We have carried out the campaign to restore our mother rivers, which resumed the full water flow throughout their course of a batch of rivers, including the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal which had run dry in many sections for a century, the West Liaohe River which had run dry for 27 years, and the Yongding River which had zero flow in multiple sections for 26 years. And the ecological flows of 98.6 percent of the major rivers and lakes are up to the required standard. A total of 140,000 cases of illegal occupation, mining, dumping and construction have been solved, resulting in the new outlook of rivers and lakes," said Li.
The Grand Canal, which connects capital city Beijing and the eastern city of Hangzhou, has a history of more than 2,500 years and is known as the world's longest artificial waterway. It served as a significant transportation artery in ancient China and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014.
The Yongding River Basin is one of the most important water conservation areas and an ecological barrier and corridor in the Chinese capital and surrounding areas.
The 829-kilometer West Liaohe River runs through north China's Hebei Province and Inner Mongolia and Jilin Province in the northeast.
"Within the Haihe River Basin, 30 rivers that once ran dry resumed flowing. In conservation and control areas in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the levels of shallow groundwater and deep groundwater have risen by 3.29 meters and 7.67 meters on average respectively compared with the levels by the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan period. It is estimated that an additional 340,000 square kilometers of land are brought under soil erosion control in China, with the soil and water conservation rate rising to 73 percent," said the minister.
The Haihe River Basin is densely populated and involves many large and medium-sized cities, including Beijing, Tianjin, and Shijiazhuang of Hebei Province.
98.6 pct of major rivers, lakes' eco-flow standard: minister
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
