Projects to prevent flooding, scarcity

China plans to launch at least another 15 major water conservancy projects next year, increasing targeted investment in the field to more than 900 billion yuan ($130 billion), the Ministry of Water Resources announced on Wednesday.

Having launched 21 projects in 2016, construction work is now underway at 106 projects, increasing total investment in ongoing projects to 800 billion yuan.

The latest, the Yangtze-to-Huaihe Water Diversion Project, begins on Thursday. As construction of more than half of all 172 projects proposed in 2014 is underway, the ministry plans to shift some of its focus.