Yangtze River revival: How China is cleaning its 'mother river'

China's efforts to revive the Yangtze River, one of its most vital waterways, are showing promising results. The river, which provides for nearly 400 million people, had been severely polluted due to rapid urbanisation and over-fishing in recent decades. Now, a comprehensive clean-up initiative launched by the government is yielding tangible improvements. The plan includes relocating thousands of factories, implementing innovative waste management solutions, and enforcing a decade-long fishing ban. Water quality has significantly improved, with chemical pollutants drastically reduced. However, challenges persist, including the ecological impact of the Three Gorges Dam and the ongoing pressure from the river's dense population centres. As China balances its economic growth with environmental preservation, the Yangtze's restoration serves as a critical case study in large-scale ecological rehabilitation. Al Jazeera's Katrina Yu reports from Wushan County, Chongqing. Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/ Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/ Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.io/AJEMobile #YangtzeRiver #ChinaEnvironment #YangtzeRiverCleanup #ChinaEcoRestoration #SustainableChina #WaterConservation #PlasticFreeRivers #ThreeGorgesDam #Chongqing #China