Some reflections on the Chinese water resources development experience

The development of water resources in China since 1949 has been guided by a basic needs approach to national economic performance and has taken place within a framework of state ownership of water resources and generally cooperative ownership of land. The adoption of this approach has implied giving priority to agriculture and the overall development of rural areas, where 80% of the Chinese population live. The setting up of a workable planning and management organization for rural areas has been the basic precondition for Chinese water resources development. In particular, China has been effective in engaging her abundant labour force in current agricultural production, soil and water conservation works and in an expanding small‐scale industry sector. Faced with the scarcity of arable land, the cooperative ownership approach has been consistent with a rather efficient control of land use and water resources development compared to most other Third World countries.