China is planning a new scheme to exploit the Yangtze River water resources, in an effort to maintain a sustainable development along the longest river in the country.

A conference held in this capital city of central China's Hubei Province this week was presented with a general outline for the ambitious program and series of technical rules for the investigation and assessment of river resources.

Documents and ideas from the regions along the river's drainage area would also be taken into consideration, said Shen Tai, a senior official with the Yangtze River Water Conservancy Committee, which is in charge of the compilation of the scheme.

The brief report on the exploitation of Yangtze River resources, put into effect in 1990, has contributed to the economic growth of the river by establishing harmony between the industrial and agricultural production and water exploitation.

Transforming to a market economy, China was facing massive changes in the fields of water resource utilization, treatment, protection and administration, said Shen.

It was necessary to outline a new scheme to meet environment protection and sustainable development concerns across the country, he said.

(China Daily August 1, 2002)