The world's largest water control scheme, Three Gorges Project, will be completed at the end of this year.

Experts on environmental protection from home and abroad have expressed their acknowledgement of China's efforts in environmental conservation while constructing the project.

Some 130 experts from 18 countries recently visited the project and held a seminar on the conservation of water resources.

The International Symposium on Three Gorges Project and Water Resources Development and Project of Yangtze River is held in Yichang, Hubei Province, on October 28-29, 2008. Experts and scholars from 18 countries and international organizations participate the symposium. (Xinhua photo)

Zhang Shuang is director with American environmental group The Nature Conservancy's China branch.

"China Three Gorges Project Corporation invests 400 to 800 million yuan every year to protect the local environment. To my knowledge, it surpasses the overall funds on fresh water conservation by all the international environmental protection groups in China."

Cao Guangjing, deputy general manager of China Three Gorges Project Corporation, said the country has consistently valued ecological conservation as top priority.

"Before filling the reservoir at each phase of the construction, we invested 10 billion yuan to research and harness the geology hazards along the reservoir basin, which covers thousands of kilometres. Our country made a detailed plan to prevent and control water pollution at the reservoir basin and the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, building sewage treatment and landfill sites. And in order to reduce water loss and soil erosion, the shelter forest system project was launched."

Cao Guangjing noted that China also established an ecological and environmental monitoring system at the initial stage of the project, with several government departments taking part. It is the only comprehensive trans-sector system in China which monitors the environment and ecology trans-regionally.

The construction of the project started in 1993. With a budget equivalent to US$22.5 billion, the project is also a water control system for the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River, China's longest waterway. Its functions cover power generation, flood control and navigation.