The seventh anniversary of the first phase of the south-to-north water diversion project for the eastern and central lines is fully connected: effectively enhance the economic development potential of the northern region

Beijing, December 12 news (reporter Zhang Keyue) reporter learned from the Ministry of Water Resources that in the past 7 years, the first phase of the east and central lines of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project has been fully connected to the north, with a total of nearly 50 billion cubic meters of water transferred to the north, calculated by the average water consumption of 70.4 cubic meters of the national GDP of 10,000 yuan from 2016 to 2019, which effectively supported the growth of 7 trillion yuan of GDP in the water-receiving areas, effectively enhanced the economic development potential of the northern region, promoted the coordinated economic and social development of the region, and promoted the coordinated development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and the construction of the Xiong'an New Area. The implementation of regional coordinated development strategies such as ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin provides a strong water resource guarantee.

Wang Hao, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said that after the completion of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, through cross-regional water transfer, it has also greatly improved the problem of water shortage in the main grain-producing areas in the north, improved grain production capacity, further tapped the potential of increasing grain production, increased the country's ability to resist risks in grain production, and ensured national food security.

After the completion of the first phase of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal has also effectively improved navigation conditions, extended the navigation mileage, increased the freight tonnage, and greatly improved the shipping support capacity, the southern section of the Yellow River of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal from Dongping Lake to the Yangtze River to achieve full navigation, 1000 tons to 2000 tons of ships can be unimpeded, the new port throughput capacity of 1350 tons, the new transport capacity is equivalent to a "Beijing-Shanghai Railway", becoming the second "golden waterway" after the Yangtze River. An important waterway has been opened for the great economic cycle between the north and the south.