After a 15-day research tour along the Yangtze River, Professor Zhang Qi with the China Institute of Development warned the Yangtze will see a collapse of its ecological system in 10 years if timely measures are not taken to curb pollution.

After seeing factories pumping sewage directly into the river and officials who are expected to control the pollutants turn blind eyes to it, members of the research team could not hold back their surprise and bitterness.

Sponsors of the tour headed by the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference called for special legislation to safeguard the river.

Among the numerous news about river and air pollution as well as the desertification of rich soil, this specific news stands to gain wide attention and cause huge concern.

The country's big rivers are among the first victims in the blind pursuit of economic prosperity.

The Huaihe River has been so seriously polluted that a 10-year program to clean it has failed to meet its ambitious goal.

The Yellow River, the cradle of Chinese civilization, suffers from shrinkage of water supply due to exploitative diversions.

Now, it is the Yangtze River's turn. This river means much more than simply a means of transportation and a source of water. It has become a cultural icon after nurturing the nation for thousands of years.

If it is really going to "collapse" because of pollution as the expert predicted, the polluters would be killing a river in the geographic sense as well as the culture derived from it.

The central government has earmarked a huge amount of money to protect the environment. Various laws and rules on environmental protection have been worked out.

Yet there has not been a single river, pasture or forest that has been saved from pollution nor been restored to its original shape. We continue to hear bad news day after day.

The call for reforming the environmental protection system is more urgent than ever. Authorities are also changing strategies, like increasing fines for polluters and offering subsidies to localities who succeed in environmental protection.

But such laws, rules and innovations must be put into action as soon as possible instead of remaining on paper. If not, we may lose the battle.

(China Daily November 18, 2004)