The Flood Control in 1998
In the summer of 1998, devastating floods inundated many of the regions south of the Yangtze River and parts of north China. Twenty-nine provinces and provincial-level administrative regions were hit, with 223 million people affected.
At the critical moment, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council took timely, comprehensive measures. Jiang Zemin and other Party and state leaders went to the front lines on several occasions, to encourage the people and offer guidance in the battle against the floods. More than 300,000 soldiers and police rushed to join the local officials and civilians in the relief effort. Together they countered the floods, eliminated threats, and safeguarded river levees, major cities and railways, as well as the lives of countless people.
On September 28, 1998, a national meeting was held in Beijing to review the battle against the floods and commend those who had been involved. Addressing the meeting, Jiang Zemin said that in the battle against the floods, the Chinese nation and people had exhibited a noble spirit – a great spirit of uniting as one, forging a powerful will, fearing no difficulty, struggling tenaciously, being firm and unflinching, and having the courage to win. Like the revolutionary spirit advocated by the Party and the pioneering spirit of the new period, the spirit of the battle against the floods was also a treasure of the Chinese people.
“九八”抗洪搶險
1998年夏，中國江南、華南大部分地區及北方局部地區發生了有史以來罕見的特大洪水，全國共有29個省、自治區、直轄市遭受不同程度的洪澇災害，受災人口達2.23億。
面對特大洪水襲擊，中共中央、國務院審時度勢，周密部署。江澤民等黨和國家領導人多次親臨抗洪搶險第一線，看望、慰問、鼓勵廣大抗洪軍民，指導抗洪搶險斗爭。各級領導干部紛紛奔赴前線，同廣大軍民一道頑強奮戰。人民解放軍和武警部隊出動30余萬官兵參加抗洪搶險斗爭，發揮了中流砥柱的作用。在中共中央領導下，廣大軍民不畏艱險、團結奮戰，頂住了一次又一次洪峰的沖擊，排除了一個又一個險情，確保了大江大河干堤、重要城市和鐵路干線的安全，確保了人民群眾的生命安全，取得了抗洪搶險斗爭的重大勝利。
1998年9月28日，全國抗洪搶險總結表彰大會在北京召開。江澤民發表重要講話，強調在同洪水搏斗中，中華民族和中國人民展現出了一種十分崇高的精神，這就是萬眾一心、眾志成城，不怕困難、頑強拼搏，堅韌不拔、敢于勝利的偉大抗洪精神。“九八”抗洪精神同中國共產黨一貫倡導的革命精神和新時期的創業精神一樣，都是中國人民的寶貴精神財富。
