Controlled explosions were carried out on the Mohe section of the Heilongjiang River in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province on Saturday to prevent the formation of catastrophic ice-jam floods.
The operation spanned a total length of 11.15 kilometers at Mohe, a key section of the border river with Russia, where explosives were placed under the ice, staggering in the center of the river.
"We have now conducted controlled explosions at three sites on the Mohe section of the Heilongjiang River, namely Xing'an Town, Beihong Village and Beiji Village. A total of 860 holes were drilled, with the blasting length of 11.15 kilometers. The operation has been successfully completed on the Mohe section to prevent ice-jam floods this spring," said Wang Hui, deputy director of the Mohe Municipal Water Authority.
As temperatures rise in April, local government usually uses explosions to break ice blocks to prevent jams that could cause river blockage and flooding in northeast China.
Controlled explosions conducted on Heilongjiang River to prevent ice-jam floods
China's Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao outlined the key priorities of the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting, which opened on Friday in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province.
In an interview with CGTN ahead of the two-day meeting, Wang said free trade, digital cooperation and green economy are high on the agenda of the meeting.
"The key areas include advancing regional economic integration and the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, supporting the World Trade Organization (WTO) in strengthening digital cooperation and developing green economy. At present, the international situation is marked by intertwined turbulence and chaos, with intensified geopolitical instability. The rise of unilateralism and protectionism poses serious challenges to the international economic and trade order, disrupting global and Asia-Pacific development. Against this backdrop, all parties have higher expectations for this trade ministers' meeting, hoping that it can build consensus and deliver outcomes," Wang said.
This year marks China's third time hosting the APEC meetings and the 35th anniversary of its membership.
By 2025, China had become the largest trading partner of 13 APEC economies. Trade between China and APEC economies reached 3.7 trillion U.S. dollars, accounting for 57.8 percent of China's total foreign trade.
China has signed 24 free trade agreements or economic and trade arrangements with 31 countries and regions, including 15 APEC economies. In recent years, China has also completed upgrades of free trade agreements with APEC economies such as Singapore and Peru.
The minister said that China has always been a firm supporter and an important contributor to APEC.
"We have actively shared our vast market and development opportunities with all parties. China's door to the world will only open wider and wider. Facing the common challenges, China will continue to fulfill its responsibilities as a major country, further deepen reform, expand high-standard opening-up, and continue to provide new opportunities for the Asia-Pacific region and the world with its new achievements in Chinese modernization," the minister said.
China's Commerce Minister outlines priorities for 32nd APEC trade ministers' meeting
