Chinese leader Xi Jinping has called for measures to mitigate the effects of this year’s disastrous flooding which has left scores dead and inflicted massive damage on crops, homes and infrastructure, including in and around Beijing. At least 90 rivers have risen above warning levels and 24 have already overflowed their banks, according to state media, threatening a vast area in northeastern China with flooding, including the Songliao Basin north of the capital, which encompasses more than 1.2 million square kilometres (482,200 square miles) with a population of almost 100 million.
“As China is still in the main flood season, rainstorms, floods, typhoons and other disasters still occur frequently in many places across the country,” the Xinhua News Agency said, summarising conclusions of Thursday’s meeting of the party’s all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee presided over by President Xi.
Participants “urged relevant localities and departments to always prioritise the safety of people’s lives and property, and keep doing a good job in flood prevention and disaster relief,” Xinhua said. The reinforcement of dams and the efficient use of disaster relief funds to “repair damaged infrastructure such as transport, communications and electricity, and restore farmland and agricultural facilities” is crucial, it said.
Schools, hospitals and nursing homes must be swiftly restored, along with damaged housing “to ensure the affected residents can return home or move to new homes before the winter.”
The flooding this year has also affected large parts of the central and eastern parts of the country, both in the semi-tropical south and the northern plains. Much of China is having a particularly damp summer, with 142 people killed by flooding in July and dozens more this month. Meteorologists warned that thunderstorms, gales and hail will affect parts of Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Hebei, Beijing, and Tianjin in the north, along with Henan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, and Fujian to the centre and southeast. Residents have been urged to reduce outdoor activities and seek shelter.
The statistics bureau said this week it would withhold updates while it refined its measurement. In a speech recently published by Qiushi, the party’s top theoretical journal, Xi called for patience in a as the party tries to reverse the deepening economic slump. That came hours after data Tuesday showed consumer and factory activity weakened further in July despite official promises to support struggling entrepreneurs. The government skipped giving an update on a politically sensitive spike in unemployment among young people.
CHINA’S FLOOD SITUATION & ECONOMIC CHALLENGES
Severe Flooding Situation: Over 90 rivers are above warning levels, with 24 already overflowing their banks. The Songliao Basin, covering more than 1.2 million square kilometers and populated by nearly 100 million people, is particularly threatened by flooding.
Economic Challenges: China is grappling with an economic slowdown, with Q2 growth at 0.8%. The country’s unemployment rate among urban workers aged 16-24 has spiked to a record 21.3%, while official data reflects weakening consumer and factory activity despite promises of support.
