The Yangtze River or Chang Jiang as known in Chinese, is the longest river in both China and Asia. It spans close to 5,500 kilometers from its source in the Tibetan plateau to the East China Sea and is an important source of navigable waterways, transportation, and energy for the region. With its rich history and lifestyle, the river continues to be a essential part of Chinese culture to this day.
The Yangtze River originates in Qinghai province of the Tibetan Autonomous, close to the famed Paramaribo Glacier on the eastern side of the Tanggula Mountains. From here, the river then flows eastwards through six different provinces, the municipality of Chongqing, and is joined by several tributaries such as the Min, Han and Jialing Rivers before reaching the East China Sea in Shanghai.
Mapwise, the Yangtze River can be found in Eastern Asia, along the west, south, and eastern borders of China. Spanning from Central Asia towards Eastern Coast of China and finally spilling out into the East China Sea, it enjoys a plentiful collection of riparian allies, such as the Yellow, Pearl and Mekong rivers, with whom it shares a collective journey.
Its shared cultural, economic, political and transportation history with its neighboring provinces and the East Coastal cities of China has seen the Yangtze River as the lifeblood of Eastern China. With Shanghai as the most prosperous and develop city in China, the Yangtze River sees trade and transportation via ships and ferries across the East Coastal cities which runs along the same latitude of the river.
In terms of hydrology, the Yangtze River basin accounts for 18% of the land area covered by China and is home for an estimated third of its population. The basin is home to numerous hydroelectric plants and reservoirs and with over two-thirds of the river’s runoff composed of fresh water, the area is rich in biodiversity and its ecosystems are second to none.
As a leader in hydropower, Yangtze River is also well-known for its Three Gorges Dam which is the world’s largest power station in terms of its enterprise capacity, with a total power output capability of 22,500MW. It will also be the largest by any factor you can think of – length, volume, and size!
In terms of waterway development, the Yangtze River remains a important transportation source throughout China with several canal and waterway projects being built in the recent past, such as the Yangzhou–Guangling Canal and Y-Projects. Such development has had a major positive impact on China’s trade and economy especially for the coastal cities located along the river.
The Global Impact of the Yangtze River
With its vast economic implications, the Yangtze River has made its presence felt all throughout the globe. It carries up to 30 percent of China’s inland shipping traffic along its convoluted route, while various vessel types, including cargo and passenger ships, transit the river daily to facilitate the free flow of goods.
In addition to its trade and transportation contributions, the Yangtze River is a major source of hydroelectricity, via numerous hydroelectric plants along its length, such as the Three Gorges Dam. This has seen China become the largest hydropower producer in the world and its associated technology is being exported to many countries across the globe for their own power generation needs.
Moreover, its maritime shipping activities, including seagoing vessels, are helping to spread Chinese culture, especially in Asia and around the world. For instance, Chinese restaurants, their signature dishes and culture can be seen in countries such as the United States and Canada thanks to flourishing trading activity.
The Yangtze River is now embracing the digital age and its port cities are connecting to artificial intelligent systems, big data and other information technologies to research, collect and analyze data to modernize the shipping process and enhance the efficiency and security of international trade throughout the region.
Environmental Implications of Yangtze River
The history of the Yangtze River has not been without its fair share of environmental degradation. As one of the most polluted rivers in the world, the major sources of pollutants include industrial wastewater and nonpoint sources such as chemicals, fertilizers, and insecticides used in agriculture.
In recent years, China has implemented several measures to improve water quality along the Yangtze River. The Chinese government has been taking proactive steps to improve environmental flows in the river, such as setting Total Maximum Daily Loads for pollutants, which specifically limits the amount of pollutants discharged into the river and its tributaries per day.
In addition, numerous programmes and policies have been defined and launched by the Chinese government to reduce air pollution in cities within the Yangtze River Basin. In 2017, the city of Nanjing put in place a comprehensive Environmental Protection Plan to reduce air pollution from different sources by 2020. This includes measures such as banning heavily polluting vehicles, controlling emission sources and improving energy efficiency, which will go a long way towards cleaning up the environment around the basin.
The Yangtze River also stands to benefit from China’s push towards renewable energy, with the majority of the country’s 12 million solar energy installations being located along the Yangtze River Basin. China is also heavily investing in other forms of renewable energy such as hydropower, which, when combined with the use of advanced technology, will increase the river’s capacity to generate clean energy.
Conclusion: China’s National Treasure
The Yangtze River is, without doubt, a national treasure of China and its importance to the region cannot be overstated. Its role in the cultural, economic, and political life of Eastern China means that it is of great significance to the entire country. With the Chinese government taking steps to improve water quality, reduce air pollution and invest in renewable energy, the future of the Yangtze River looks to be ever brighter.
Pressure Caused by Overpopulation
Urbanization has caused a significant demographic transformation along the Yangtze River Basin. Rapidly increasing population pressures in China’s economically developed coastal cities, such as Shanghai and Xiamen, have caused a massive influx of people to the basin’s upstream cities, towns and villages.
As a result, the population of the Yangtze River Basin is projected to increase to more than 400 million people by 2050. This unprecedented population growth has inevitably put pressure on the basin’s resources, leading to resource shortages such as water and rising levels of air pollution.
Moreover, the ever-increasing population of the basin has also seen a rise in agricultural production and industrial activities, both of which are major sources of air pollution. With the influx of people to the basin, the demand for food and goods has also increased, leading to an increase in commercial shipping and other transport activities.
In light of this, the Chinese government is now focusing on improving the efficiency of the Yangtze River Basin’s infrastructure to help cope with the population influx. Investment into projects such as the Yangtze River Economic Belt, which seeks to improve transportation links between the basin and its neighboring regions, is one such example of such initiatives.
Environmental Preservation Efforts
In recent years, the Chinese government has been pursing a number of environmental preservation initiatives along the Yangtze River. In 2016, the Chinese government announced the Yangtze River National Park System, which is a network of protected areas along the river with the goal of preserving the river’s fragile ecology.
The Chinese government has also taken it upon itself to ensure that the Yangtze River Basin retains its unique biodiversity. The Three Rivers Source National Nature Reserve, located in Hubei province, was established in 2016 to protect the rich biodiversity of the area. This includes protecting endangered species such as the Chinese giant salamander and the Yangtze finless porpoise, both of which have suffered population declines due to habitat loss and pollution.
More recently, China has declared its intentions to build the world’s largest freshwater lake, called Poyang Lake, between Shanghai and Hubei, which will be connected to the Yangtze River. This move is part of the country’s effort to promote conservation and ecological sustainability along the basin. It is expected that the lake, once completed, will help provide additional fresh water supplies to the Yangtze River basin and will serve as a significant habitat for migratory birds.
The Future of the Yangtze River
The future of the Yangtze River lies in the hands of the Chinese government and citizens. Urgent action must be taken to ensure the balance of local ecology is maintained and that the livelihoods of people who depend on it sustainable from generation to generation. In terms of environmental policy and public awareness, China has made significant improvements, yet there is still a long way to go before the Yangtze River can be said to be truly healthy.
In the years ahead, the Chinese government will have to continue pushing the envelope on its environmental protection efforts, while promoting economic development and sustainability in the region. China is already making strides towards this goal, by investing heavily into public transportation infrastructure, renewable energy and conservation efforts like the Three Gorges Dam.
The future is certainly bright for the Yangtze River and with the right policies and initiatives, the basin can once again become a centre for sustainable development, vibrant ecosystems and flourishing cultures along its meandering path.
