Beijing, China, Sept. 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, has deeply impressed foreign journalists with its excellent living conditions and advanced water management system during a recent session of an international media communication activity named “Travelogue of China”.
Notably, the city's water management model got a high score of 9 out of 10 from the journalists in a questionnaire. Many journalists stressed that Chengdu offers great insights into water management their countries could learn from.
Jointly hosted by China Public Diplomacy Association and Global Times Online, the recent session of “Travelogue of China” brought together 17 journalists from 13 countries, including Pakistan, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
During the activity, foreign journalists took part in immersive field visits, riveting exchanges and in-depth discussions in the cities of Chengdu and Deyang of Sichuan Province, gaining a profound understanding of local people's lives and the cities' achievements in pursuing sustainable development.
Joining a livestream hosted by Global Times Online at a night market on Sanse Road, Jinjiang district, Chengdu, on Sept. 7, the journalists watched the characteristic face-changing performance of Sichuan Opera, enjoyed delicacies from various countries, tried payment with digital yuan (e-CNY), and took part in a slew of interactive games.
"It's very convenient. I feel like I can buy anything with it," said Ali Abbas, a senior journalist from Pakistan, after trying out the e-CNY payment.
Located in the core section of the cycleway of Jinjiang Greenway, a popular greenway along Chengdu's "mother river" - Jinjiang River, Sanse Road offers a fascinating glimpse into the vibrant nightlife of local residents in Chengdu.
Since the environment of the Jinjiang Greenway has been improved, local residents have set up stalls on Sanse Road to sell products. In particular, many people often transform the trunk of their car into a makeshift stall, gradually forming a unique "trunk economic zone" at the night market.
It's worth noting that many stall owners of the night market on Sanse Road work regular jobs by day and run stalls as a personal hobby at night.
The bustling night market on Sanse Road has benefited from Chengdu's efforts to improve people's living environment, according to an expert with Chinese infrastructure giant China Communications Construction Company Ltd. (CCCC).
The transformation and upgrading of Sanse Road represents a part of the Jinjiang Greenway project as well as a successful example of water management projects along the Jinjiang River basin, the expert noted.
With the help of CCCC, Chengdu has employed new techniques to improve the drainage system of the locality, renovated greenway, and added public recreational facilities to the area, effectively enhancing the environment of Sanse Road and turning it into a featured area integrating food, sports, leisure and business, the expert explained.
On the morning of Sept. 8, journalists cycled 3 kilometers along Jinjiang Greenway, further experiencing the city's achievements in ecological conservation and improving people's well-being. Jinjiang Greenway is a part of Chengdu's Tianfu Greenway system, which, with a design length of 16,900 kilometers, is dubbed "the world's longest greenway".
After the ride, the foreign journalists all echoed similar sentiments - "The scenery along the way is beautiful!", "Deeply impressed by Chengdu's greenway", "Will definitely recommend friends visiting Chengdu to experience cycling on this world-class green corridor."
The water management system of the Jinjiang River basin is a major environmental improvement project undertaken by CCCC. Playing a key role in Chengdu's efforts to transform into a more livable city, CCCC has completed a good number of environmental projects in Chengdu, benefiting more than 20 million residents in Chengdu and areas along the Jinjiang River basin.
During a visit to Chengdu's river and lake protection and smart water affairs center, foreign journalists discovered the key to the city's success in empowering development through efficient water management: a sophisticated water management system centering on a smart platform for the management of the Jinjiang River basin.
Custom-made for Chengdu's Jinjiang River basin by CCCC Tianjin Dredging Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of CCCC, the platform is the largest platform for sharing data on water affairs in southwestern China.
"Based on real-time monitoring of various indicators, the platform auto-generates flood forecasts and warnings whenever any value exceeds flood control limits,” explained Zhang Yi, deputy general manager of the branch of CCCC Tianjin Dredging Co., Ltd. in southwestern China.
Thanks to continuous implementation of smart technologies in ecological conservation and restoration efforts, Jinjiang River has seen a "V-shaped" reversal in water quality. All the water sections monitored by the state and Sichuan Province have achieved a surface water quality of above Grade III in China's five-tier water quality system, and the proportion of surface water below Grade V, the lowest level, has been reduced to nearly zero in primary tributaries and important secondary tributaries of the Jinjiang River.
At a symposium on the significance of water management to city development, foreign journalists developed a better understanding of Chengdu's efforts to employ sci-tech achievements in smart water affairs management, and had engaging discussions with experts on topics including water resources management and protection.
Following the field visits and symposium, foreign journalists were full of praise for Chengdu's water management system and frequently described Chengdu as "modern", "livable", and "sustainable".
"Chengdu has the world's best flood warning system," said Nepali journalist Manju Telor.
"Chengdu's water management model not only makes full use of human resources, but also employs intelligent technologies. It can serve as an exemplary model for our country," said Ho Hong Hanh, a journalist from Voice of Vietnam.
