As clear tap water gurgled out of the faucets, villagers in Banlao Village, Banlao Township, Cangyuan Wa Autonomous County, Yunnan Province finally had a sip of “water of happiness”, breaking away from the dilemma of depending on rainwater. For a long time, drinking water problems had existed in many villages and towns in Yunnan because of its special landforms. To address this issue, a special initiative was launched in Yunnan to ensure rural water supply. CDB Yunnan Branch issued 4.288 billion yuan in 2022 for project construction. After completion of all projects, it is expected that 1.04 million people suffering from moderate drought will receive emergency water supply, and 13.487 million residents will see their water supply better guaranteed.
In 2022, CDB focused on its development finance mandate, deepened cooperation with the Ministry of Water Resources of the PRC, and took the initiative to address the financing needs of major water conservancy projects, Leveraging its the advantages in medium- and long-term credit and the financial resources of CDB Infrastructure Investment Fund, it granted loans totaling 186.4 billion yuan in water conservancy and gave priority to supporting water conservancy projects of strategic significance and for people’s livelihood including Hanjiang-to-Weihe River Valley Water Diversion, Central Yunnan Water Diversion, irrigation area of Dateng Gorge Water Conservancy Hub, and comprehensive rehabilitation of Yongding River Valley, making significant contributions to achieving stable macroeconomic performance.
CDB supported major projects for maintaining the tranquility of rivers. Major water conservancy projects play an irreplaceable fundamental role in ensuring national water security. Therefore, as a development financial institution (DFI) supporting national strategies, CDB is duty-bound to finance the construction of water conservancy infrastructure. The “big disasters caused by small waters” in the lower reaches of the Weihe River, the largest tributary of the Yellow River, has always been a concern for people living along the Weihe River basin. Dongzhuang Water Conservancy Hub is the largest reservoir in Shaanxi with the highest dam body that integrates functions in flood control, sediment reduction, power generation, water supply, and ecological transformation. Able to reduce about 50 million tons of silt entering the main stream of the Yellow River annually, it will considerably improve the flood discharge capacity of the lower reaches of the Weihe River, ensuring the flood control safety of nine districts in three cities, including Xi’an, Xianyang, and Weinan. In 2022, CDB Shaanxi Branch provided 2.95 billion yuan of development financing for the project so that the Weihe River could perform better in nurturing Shaanxi people.
CDB facilitated the building of the “main framework and artery” of the national water network for improving the allocation of water resources. China is among countries where the task of watercourse regulation is the most arduous due to the shortage of water resources and their uneven spatial and temporal distribution. By mobilizing advantageous resources and combining investment with loans, CDB provides long-term, stable financial support for the construction of water conservancy infrastructure in a market-oriented manner. In Anhui, the Yangtze-Huaihe River Water Diversion, which connects the two major waters, the Yangtze River and the Huaihe River, is a major strategic project for allocation and comprehensive utilization of water resources across basins and provinces. In 2022, CDB Anhui Branch granted 3.458 billion yuan of loans to promote the trial navigation of the project, which proved to be a success. In Guangdong, the allocation of water resources in the Beipu Gulf Rim is one of the 102 major projects in the Outline of 14th Five-Year Plan, and is also a key link in the structure of the national water network. CDB Guangdong Branch met the needs of the project efficiently by investing 6.064 billion yuan from CDB Infrastructure Investment Fund, enabling the project to commence its construction. Upon completion, the project will consolidate the comprehensive bearing capacity of the west wing of the coastal economic belt and promote the coordinated regional development.
CDB propelled the restoration of the water eco-environment for lucid water, clean lakes and flying birds. In 2022, CDB focused on comprehensive governance and ecological restoration of river and lake basins by exploring innovative financing models to satisfy the funding needs in the construction of key projects for protection and comprehensive renovation of water environment. The Yongding River is the “mother river” of the Chinese capital, Beijing, as well as an eco-artery connecting the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. For a long time, due to excessive exploitation of water resources and the decrease of natural water inflow, the river ran dry repeatedly, resulting in a seriously degraded ecosystem. In recent years, with the joint efforts of relevant governmental organs of related provinces and cities, the comprehensive governance and ecological restoration of the Yongding River basin has been pushed forward smoothly. As the only financial institution in the coordination leading group for comprehensive governance and ecological restoration of the Yongding River basin, CDB took a proactive approach in funding projects for ecological water replenishment, waterway regulation and water-saving irrigation of the river, helping gradually rehabilitate it into a “flowing, green, clean, and safe river”, and create a high-quality water conservation area and ecological barrier and corridor in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
The water network is densely woven to benefit the people while the clear water nourishes and warms the hearts of the people. Rural water conservancy facilities are important infrastructure for people’s livelihood, playing a significant role in reinforcing the resistance against drought and flood, improving rural production and living conditions, and enhancing comprehensive agricultural production capacity. In 2022, CDB was dedicated to improving people’s livelihood, trying hard to support projects of rural drinking water safety and water-saving irrigation, etc. In Fujian, most of the old revolutionary base areas are in the countryside, where the residents could only divert mountain stream water and well water by building pipelines themselves. CDB Fujian Branch innovated the financing model to help solve the drinking water problem of people in these areas. As of the end of 2022, the branch has issued loans totaling 750 million yuan to the provincial urban-rural water supply integration project involving 31 counties and districts. According to the plan of the project, 398 large-scale water plants would be built, renovated or expanded while 1,868 rural water supply facilities were to be built or renovated for forming a water supply artery in the old revolutionary base areas that would nourish the hearts of the people.
According to an officer from CDB, in the next step, the CDB would fully implement the decisions and instructions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council by focusing on priority areas and weak spots of water conservancy development. It would increase financing to strengthen the resistance against floods and droughts, improve the capacity in allocation of water resources and intensive and economical utilization of water resources, and boost the protection and governance of the ecological environment of large rivers and lakes. In this way, it may promote the high-quality development of water conservancy in the new stage premium financial services.
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