中国：为水资源污染而战

It's been a part of Chinese history before there was even a unified China. Its common name in English is the transliteration of what the Sui Dynasty named it at its lower reaches. It cuts through a good portion of the country, and has been the traditional dividing line between the North and the South. It's the longest in Asia and the third longest in the world. And, unfortunately, a recent report has pegged it as one of the most polluted portions of China. The Yangtze River is one of the most well known landmarks in China. So what is being done to ensure that Chang Jiang, the Chinese name, stays a vibrant part of this country? Ni hao, you're listening to People In the Know, your window into the world around you, online at www.crienglish.com here on China Radio International.  In this edition of the show, we'll talk with an environmentalist and a member of an international NGO to discuss the issues surrounding the Yangtze River. So let's get started.

A recent report has pegged the Yangtze River as one of the most polluted portions of China. [Photo: people.com.cn]

First, we dive into the environmental issues surrounding the Yangtze River. The first ever health report on the state of the river says that about 600 kilometers of the over 6,000 kilometer long river are critical condition. The Report by the Yangtze River Water Resources Commission also says that 14.2 billion tones of polluted water every year is discharged from it, accounting for 42 percent of the total water pollution in China. For more on the environmental challenges facing the Yangtze River we're joined by Mr. Li Lifeng, Director of the Frestwater Program for the World Wide Fund for Nature here in China.

(Dialogue with Li)

Ni hao, you're listening to People In the Know, your window into the world around you, online at www.crienglish.com here on China Radio International. I'm Paul James in Beijing. In this edition of our show, we're talking about the environmental health of China's longest river, the Yangtze River. For more on the work being done to protect and clean up the Yangtze, and the Chinese environment in general, we're joined from the ongoing Yangtze River Forum by Ms. Beth Delaney, Development Councilor with AUSAID Beijing.

(Dialogue with Delaney)

And with that, we close out this edition of People In the Know, online at www.crienglish.com here on China Radio International.  While environmental protection is critically important, in the case of the Yangtze River, it's also important to remember that protecting the environment can't come at the expense of those who utilize the waterway to make ends meet. Questions or comments for us can be sent to crieng@crifm.com. For Executive Director Lin Lin and Producer Wang Lei, I'm Paul James in Beijing. Ming tian jian. We'll talk to you tomorrow.