Emerald Waters Flow from Xin'an, Winding Their Way to Qiantang. Originating from Liugujian Peak in Huangshan, the Xin'an River journeys eastward—carving through mountain ranges, meandering past the iconic white-walled, black-tiled villages of Huizhou, before finally merging into Hangzhou's Qiandao Lake.  

Since 2012, Anhui and Zhejiang Provinces have collaboratively implemented three consecutive pilot rounds of the Xin'an River Ecological Compensation Mechanism, pioneering the renowned "Xin'an River Model". This innovative approach has now been replicated and expanded across 28 river basins in 23 provinces in China. The water ecosystem of the Xin'an River Basin has seen continuous improvement. In 2024, both the main stream and tributaries achieved "Excellent" water quality ratings, with 100% compliance rates at national/provincial monitoring stations and drinking water sources.

In 2023, Anhui and Zhejiang Provinces signed the "Agreement on Jointly Building a Model Zone for Ecological Protection Compensation in the Xin'an River-Qiandao Lake Basin", marking the launch of a new phase for China's first cross-provincial watershed eco-compensation mechanism. On June 7, at the 7th High-Level Forum on Integrated Development of the Yangtze River Delta, the "Achievements in Building the Xin'an River-Qiandao Lake Ecological Co-Protection Cooperation Zone" were highlighted as a key agenda item, establishing the initiative as a model for collaborative ecological governance in the Yangtze River Delta region.   

The "Xin'an River Model" continues to evolve and upgrade—progressing from "joint water protection" to "shared regional prosperity"—epitomizing China's holistic approach to full-coverage, all-terrain, and whole-process ecological conservation.

Source: Anhui Daily