Published : 27/12/2024

On December 27, 2002, China's "South-North Water Transfer Project" officially commenced.

The ground-breaking ceremony was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, as well as at the construction sites in Jiangsu and Shandong.

Premier Zhu Rongji (朱鎔基) of announced the official commencement on the spot, followed by a speech from Vice Premier Wen Jiabao (溫家寶).

There are a total of three separate projects that were officially approved for the South-North Water Transfer Project: the Jiangsu section of the Sanyang River, Tong River, Baoying Station projects for the first phase of the Eastern Route; the Jiping main canal project of the Shandong section; and the heightening of the Danjiangkou Reservoir dam for the first phase of the Central Route.

The total investment for the main projects of the first phases of the Eastern and Central Routes reached 124 billion CNY, with the static investment for the first phase of the Eastern Route being 32 billion CNY, and the investment for the first phase of the Central Route being 92 billion CNY.

The implementation of the South-North Water Transfer Project is of great significance for alleviating the severe water resource shortages in northern regions. It also helps achieve a rational allocation of water resources among the four major river basins of the Yangtze River, Huai River, Yellow River, and Hai River.