The Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee convened a meeting on June 30 to study flood and drought control work, with General Secretary Xi Jinping presiding.
The meeting assessed that during this year's main flood season, extreme weather and climate events in China will continue to be frequent, with both floods and droughts occurring concurrently. It urged all regions and departments to enhance awareness, adhere to bottom-line and extreme-scenario thinking, and prepare for major floods, severe droughts, and strong typhoons, taking effective measures for flood and drought control, rescue, and disaster relief.
People's life safety was placed as the top priority by the meeting. It was proposed that the accuracy of monitoring and forecasting must be improved, and decisions on personnel evacuation must be made promptly and decisively to prevent mass casualties. The flood safety of major rivers and lakes must be ensured, and the management of flood passage spaces in rivers and lakes should be comprehensively strengthened.
The risk of a sudden shift from drought to flood was also given high attention. The meeting made clear that flood and drought control efforts should proceed in parallel, and unified management and scheduling of water resources must be enhanced. The safe passage of major infrastructure and ongoing projects during the flood season, hidden danger inspection, and the protection of agricultural infrastructure were also emphasized.
Regarding disaster response, the meeting pointed out that preparations for forces, equipment, and supplies need to be further fortified, with integrated deployment and pre-positioning optimized to improve rescue capabilities under extreme conditions. Relief and assistance work were instructed to be carried out with dedication, ensuring the basic living needs of affected people. Additionally, the leadership stressed that resources and forces should tilt toward the grassroots and frontline to enhance local disaster prevention, reduction, and relief capabilities.
Implementing the responsibility system was a crucial part of the meeting's requirements. Party committees and governments at all levels must implement the Party Central Committee's decisions, and the flood and drought control responsibility system must not be relaxed. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters should strengthen coordination and command, and all relevant departments must perform their duties faithfully. Leading cadres were called on to uphold a correct view of political achievements, enhance on-duty presence, command from the front, and mobilize the masses to participate in disaster prevention, reduction, and relief. Grassroots Party organizations and Party members and cadres were asked to fully play the role of battle fortress and vanguard on the frontlines of rescue and relief, safeguarding people's lives and property and social stability.