Chongqing—Chongqing has carried out shoreline management and improvement work along a total of 834.21 kilometers of riverbanks over the past decade, according to a mid-term assessment of the city's implementation of a national plan for the Yangtze River shoreline. The assessment also recorded the review and rectification of 461 projects involving the use of shoreline along the Yangtze River's main channel, reflecting efforts to balance development with ecological protection.
An urban waterfront view of Chongqing, where riverfront development and ecological protection go hand in hand. (Photo: Chongqing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau)
The assessment covers the main channels of the Yangtze, Jialing, and Wujiang rivers, as well as 40 other important rivers in Chongqing. Shoreline use rates along these waterways remained within the limits set by the plan, helping maintain flood-control capacity and protect space for ecological functions.
The push for stronger shoreline protection was closely linked to the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. In 2014, China's State Council issued guidelines calling for greater use of the Yangtze's shipping capacity to support economic development along the river. As development accelerated, the need to balance economic activity with ecological protection became increasingly apparent. Subsequent policies placed greater emphasis on shoreline management, tighter controls on land use and stricter reviews of construction projects along the river.
As development along the Yangtze accelerated, demand for ports, riverside industries, and cross-river infrastructure also increased. Some sections faced poorly planned development and inefficient use of limited shoreline resources. In its explanation of the plan, China's National Development and Reform Commission said that inappropriate shoreline development could affect flood control, water supply, navigation safety, and river stability, while also putting pressure on local ecosystems.
Dazu's Longshui Lake features clear waters and tree-lined shores. (Photo: the Chongqing Municipal Water Resources Bureau)
At a meeting on the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt in Chongqing in January 2016, Chinese leaders called for "joint efforts to protect the Yangtze River rather than pursuing large-scale development." The principle placed ecological protection at the center of the region's development strategy. Later that year, the Ministry of Water Resources and the former Ministry of Land and Resources issued the Overall Plan for the Protection and Utilization of the Yangtze River Shoreline, setting out a framework for protecting and managing shorelines along the Yangtze River's main channel.
The plan divided the Yangtze River's main-channel shoreline into four functional zones, which determine how different sections can be protected and used. Shoreline protection zones prioritize flood safety, water supply, and ecological conservation. Shoreline reserve zones are kept undeveloped for the time being or set aside for future needs. In shoreline control-use zones, the scale or type of development is subject to restrictions, while shoreline development-use zones allow planned development in areas considered suitable for such activities.
A special campaign to review and rectify projects involving the use of the Yangtze's main-channel shoreline addressed 461 projects. Of these, 92 were dismantled or shut down, 43 restaurant barges were cleared from the shoreline, and 326 underwent corrective work to bring them into compliance with regulations.
The campaign also freed up 16.96 kilometers of shoreline and carried out corrective work along a further 34.47 kilometers. Authorities demolished buildings covering 110,100 square meters, removed more than 3.68 million cubic meters of construction spoil and restored vegetation across 195,000 square meters of land.
A recent case illustrates how shoreline management is being carried out. Along Nanbin Road on the Yangtze waterfront in Nan'an District, two structures in the Dafosi and Tongyuanju sections had yet to be removed as required under approved plans and were therefore flagged for corrective action. The two structures covered a combined area of 5,850 square meters. After municipal and district authorities pressed for the required work to be completed, both structures had been removed by the end of August 2026.
The Tongyuanju section in Nan'an District before rectification (left) and after rectification (right). (Photo: the Chongqing Municipal Water Resources Bureau)
Inspections in 2026 found 12 unauthorized commercial tents and three leisure platforms occupying about 830 square meters within the river management area in the Yuzicun section of Heishan Town, Wansheng Economic and Technological Development Zone. The unauthorized facilities were removed by the end of August.
In central Chongqing, riverbank improvements have also been linked to the development of public waterfront spaces. Under the city's separate Two Rivers and Four Banks improvement program, 70 kilometers of riverfront had been upgraded and 18 public waterfront spaces opened by the end of 2025. Ten former freight terminals, including Xiangguosi, were also converted into riverside ecological parks, creating more spaces for residents to relax and enjoy the waterfront.
Removing unauthorized structures is only one part of shoreline protection. Preventing similar problems from recurring is equally important. The Chongqing Municipal Water Resources Bureau has worked with other municipal departments to establish a coordination mechanism for river and lake shoreline management, with information sharing, joint inspections, and coordinated enforcement to strengthen day-to-day oversight.
Chongqing has also introduced a full life-cycle management system covering both existing and new projects. Existing projects are assessed to determine whether they can remain or should be phased out. New proposals are screened against lists of permitted and prohibited activities, with approvals banned in protection zones and strictly limited in controlled-use zones.
Under Chongqing's initiative to improve river and lake shorelines, the city aims to restore and improve the bank environment along 100 kilometers of the Three Gorges Reservoir's drawdown zone and establish 120 kilometers of ecological buffer zones by 2027.
The drawdown zone is the strip of land along the reservoir that is exposed when water levels fall and submerged again when they rise. Restoring vegetation and natural habitats in these areas can help reduce soil erosion and improve conditions for local plant and wildlife species.
Ecological buffer zones, meanwhile, are transition areas between waterways and surrounding land. Often covered with vegetation, they help filter pollutants from runoff before it enters rivers and lakes, reduce the impact of nearby human activities, and provide habitats for wildlife.