A Dialogue Between the Yangtze and the Mississippi—Co-building a New Platform for River Development

Text by He Sai & Bo Ning Photos by Cai Jun

長江 The Yangtze River

密西西比河 The Mississippi River

2019年8月22日，長江和密西西比河流域合作研討會在湖北武漢舉行。 The 2019 Mississippi-Yangtze Cooperation Seminar kicked off on August 22 in Wuhan, capital city of Hubei Province.

On the afternoon of August 23, 2019, more than a dozen American guests visited the Jar Mountain Tourist Area on the Three Gorges Dam of the Yangtze River in the scorching heat of summer. While cooling themselves with paper fans, they overlooked the ships passing through the fivegrade ship lock and discussed the spectacular centurial project erected in front of them.

These experts in legislation and policy research are from the states along the Mississippi River in the United States. They brought greetings from their homeland to the Yangtze River. They came to Hubei Province to attend the “Mississippi-Yangtze Cooperation Seminar,” in the hope of joining hands with their Chinese counterparts, building a platform for exchange over river management, protection and development, and looking for opportunities for cooperation between the two sides. Many representatives from provinces and cities in the drainage basin of the Yangtze River on the Chinese side attended the meeting and shared relevant experiences.

Two Important Rivers

The Yangtze River and the Mississippi River share a lot in common. They are both the main rivers in their respective countries, nourishing vast lands and making up the main area for agricultural development in their own countries. Rice, corn, soybeans, and cotton are the main agricultural products in both basins, which play a very important role in the national strategies of the two countries. Meanwhile, the two rivers' drainage basins are both prominent culture-nurturing regions for their own countries. This is especially so for the Yangtze River, whose basin has nourished multiple cultures and boasts innumerous cultural relics, making it an important cultural corridor and treasure trove in China. Besides, both rivers are important leisure and sightseeing regions, providing a large number of jobs in leisure tourism along the river and bringing along huge social value. Both rivers boast developed shipping industries and are major logistics channels in their own countries. Last but not least, they provide a water source to lakes along them, becoming the lifeline of freshwater ecosystems in lakes.

2019年8月23日下午，十多位美國人頂著炎夏驕陽，站在中國長江三峽大壩壇子嶺上，俯瞰嶺下大壩五級船閘和過往船只。他們邊搖著紙扇解暑，邊議論著眼前壯觀的世紀工程。他們是來自美國密西西比河流域各州立法機關及政策研究方面的專家，是把密西西比河的問候帶給長江的使者。

這些專家此次造訪湖北，是出席“長江和密西西比河流域合作研討會”，抱著與中國同行攜手，在長江和密西西比之間搭建起河道治理、保護和開發利用的平臺，尋找雙方合作機遇的期許而來。中方長江流域各省市代表也都參加會議并交流了相關經驗。

雙方代表就長江與密西西比河在開發利用、環境保護和災害防控等方面進行探討。 Representatives from China and US offered their opinions on the exploration, environment protection and disaster control from the perspective of respective rivers.

嘉賓認真聆聽交流發言。 The audience listening attentively to the speeches

兩河共榮

長江與密西西比兩條河流有許多相同之處。同為各自國家主要河流，滋潤著廣袤的土地，是兩國農業發展的主要區域，水稻、玉米、大豆、棉花是兩個流域共同的農作物品種，在兩國國家戰略中起著非常重要的作用；同時，長江和密西西比河同為兩國文化的重要承載區域，特別是長江，流域范圍內多種文化交匯，文化遺跡遍布，是中國重要的文化長廊和寶庫；而且，兩河均為各自國家重要的休閑觀光地帶，沿江沿河休閑旅游觀光解決了大量人口就業問題，社會價值十分突出；另外，兩河的航運都非常發達，均為各自國家的物流大通道，是各自國家的黃金水道；再者，對沿江湖泊續水，使得這兩條大河成為湖泊淡水產品養殖的生命水源。

長期以來，兩河都面臨著共同的挑戰。生態保護、合理開發利用、洪水防控、資金籌措、循環經濟等，是專家們共同關心的話題。

兩河所不同的是，長江發源于“世界屋脊”，流經中國地形的第一至第三階梯，落差達到幾千米，水力資源豐富，而密西西比河流域面積雖然比長江流域面積大，但水量比長江小。該河發源于密蘇里河源頭的艾斯塔卡湖，海拔僅500多米，全流域地勢低平，水力資源開發難度較大。

與會嘉賓參觀湖北省博物館。 Participants to the seminar were invited to visit the Hubei Museum.

長江三峽景區攤點上小商品玲瑯滿目 A US representative was attracted by the small souvenirs on the stalls in the Three Gorges Scenic Spot.

For a long time, both rivers have faced common challenges and experts in the two countries share common concerns regarding ecological protection, rational development and utilization, flood prevention and control, fund raising, and circular economy.

The difference between the two rivers is that the Yangtze River originates from the “roof of the world” and flows from west to east in the terrain. The drop of elevation of several kilometers brings along abundant water resources. As for the Mississippi River, even though its drainage basin is larger than that of the Yangtze River, its amount of water is smaller than that of the latter. It originates from the Lake Itasca, the source of the Missouri River, which has an altitude of only a bit over 500 meters. As a result, the whole basin is flat and low-lying, making it difficult to develop hydraulic resources.

An Unforgettable Journey

The second stage of the seminar was arranged on the Three Gorges Ship No. 6 of the Yangtze River by Chinese hosts. American experts boarded the ship from the 9th pier in Yichang, Hubei Province, and went all the way to the foot of the Three Gorges Dam, where they would go ashore. On their way their ship crossed the navigation lock of the Gezhouba Water Conservancy Project, the first dam on the Yangtze River, and took them to the beautiful scenery of Xiling Gorge, after which they proceeded with the exchange section in the seminar.

When the ship stopped shortly in front of the Gezhouba dam gate, getting ready to enter, foreign guests flocked to the front of the ship to take a photo of the opening gate. After the ship entered the gate, they rushed to the stern to record the moments of the closing gate. The experience seemed so rare and novel to them that they were running back and forth all the while between the bow and the stern. Some of them simply clung to the railing and looked out quietly at the water, enjoying the experience of the ship floating up while water was being injected into the lock chamber.

嘉賓參觀武漢大學 Representatives visiting Wuhan University

難忘旅程

中方把研討會第二階段議程設在長江三峽6號輪上，美國專家從湖北省宜昌九碼頭上船，一直行進到長江三峽大壩腳下上岸，沿途體驗輪船過長江第一壩——葛洲壩水利樞紐船閘，領略一段長江西陵峽風光之后，再進行研討會第二階段交流。

客輪在葛洲壩閘口前稍作停留，當船重新啟動準備進閘時，外賓們紛紛涌向輪船的前部，拍下難忘的閘門開啟鏡頭，等船身全部進閘閘門關閉之時，他們又魚貫涌向船尾，記錄下人生中難得的瞬間。他們似乎很少有這樣的體驗，整個過程，他們都在船頭和船尾間來回奔走，有幾位甚至扒在欄桿上，看著水面，靜靜體驗船閘注水和輪船上浮的感覺。

研討會開始了，大家還對兩岸美景戀戀不舍，詹姆斯·萊文斯干脆跑上臺拿起話筒說：“船外的風景的確太美了，真的，但為了發言，我不得不放棄這美妙的景觀?！?/p>

回來的路上，美國駐武漢總領事館經濟處處長孟千里總結說，這次會議開得很成功，大家都覺得收獲頗豐，湖北的接待和安排非常周到體貼，尤其是把大家安排在長江輪船上開會并體驗水電站、觀看兩岸美景，在大家腦海里烙下了深深的印記。大家都希望這個研討會形成定制，每隔一段時間交流一次，一定會對雙方大有裨益。

共待深遠

這次研討會，雙方代表形成了一個重要共識，長江和密西西比河同為世界重要河流，河流治理的好壞、開發利用和生態保護程度的高低，直接關系著兩個國家的社會發展和民生福祉，也關系著世界水資源利用和保護大業。

美方代表團團長、來自密西西比流域田納西州的安德魯·霍金表示：“我們對于經濟、環境方面的有效對話，將促進雙方合作，達成雙贏?！彼J為這次研討會是意義深遠的會議，湖北炎熱的天氣、周密的會議組織、會議涉及的主題和內容都給他留下了深刻印象，他希望雙方在兩河航運、城市群發展、經濟區建設方面，能夠充分交流，實現共贏；在水、環境和生態保護方面能夠探索合作。

美國駐武漢總領事傅杰明說：“從湖北小龍蝦產業發展來看，長江和密西西比河機會還有很多！”多年前，來自美國路易斯安那州的人將當地小龍蝦帶到中國，如今，小龍蝦成了中國人氣美食，市場巨大，在路易斯安那州，人們同樣愛吃小龍蝦。他說：“幾十年來，中國變化巨大，城市道路寬闊，高樓林立，但有一件事沒變，就是不斷改善人民生活品質的決心，這正是未來兩國、‘兩河’合作的交叉點?！?/p>

向導向外國嘉賓介紹長江三峽景區The guide introducing the Three Gorges Scenic Spot to the US guests

When the seminar resumed, everyone was reluctant to leave the deck. James Levins, one of the American speakers even commented when he went up onto the stage that, “The scenery outside is so beautiful that I really hate to give up on it for this speech.”

On their way back, Charley Montgomery, the Economic Section Chief of the US Consulate General in Wuhan, concluded that the seminar was very successful and everyone found it rewarding. The reception and arrangement by Hubei Province was considerate and thoughtful, especially the part of arranging the meeting on the ship. Everyone was impressed by what they saw, from the magnificent hydropower station to the beautiful scenery along the river. They hope that this seminar could be held on a regular basis, which would lead to more exchanges and benefit both parties.

Promising Prospect

During the seminar, representatives of the two sides reached an important consensus. The Yangtze River and the Mississippi River are both important rivers in the world. Therefore, the quality of river management, the level of their development and utilization, and the degree of their ecological protection are directly related to both countries' social development and welfare. It is also relevant to the global cause of water resources utilization and protection.

Andrew Hogin, the head of the US delegation, who's from Tennessee, a state located in the Mississippi Basin, said: “Our effective dialogue on economy and environment will promote cooperation between two sides and achieve a win-win situation.” He believes that this seminar will have far-reaching significance. Despite the hot summer in Hubei, He was deeply impressed by the careful organization of the conference, and the topics and contents involved in the conference. He hoped that the two sides could fully communicate with each other on river shipping, urban development and economic zone construction, so as to achieve a win-win outcome and to explore cooperation in water, environmental, and ecological protection.

Jamie Fouss, the Consul General of the United States in Wuhan, said: “Given the development of the crayfish industry in Hubei, I can see many promising opportunities for the Yangtze River and the Mississippi River.” Many years ago, people from the State of Louisiana in the United States brought local crayfish to China, which has become a popular Chinese dish and created a huge market here. In Louisiana, people like to eat crayfish as well. He said: “For decades, China has undergone tremendous changes, we see wider roads and more highrise buildings. But one thing remained unchanged, that is, the determination to continuously improve the quality of people's lives. This is the intersection of future cooperation between our two countries and the two rivers.”

Having learned that Wuhan is building a sponge city and is actively responding to urban waterlogging problems, Daniele Fulfs, a representative from the State of Massachusetts expressed his interest in relevant experiences of Wuhan: “I hope we can learn and solve these remaining problems together, making our cities more resilient, and providing more renewable resources for all walks of life.”

(Translation: Lu Qiongyao)

來自馬薩諸塞州的代表丹尼爾·福弗斯了解到，武漢正在建設海綿城市，并積極應對城市漬水問題，對武漢的相關經驗充滿興趣：“希望我們一起交流學習，一同解決難題，讓我們的城市更有‘韌性’，各行各業都有可再生資源可用?！?/p>

嘉賓在三峽大壩185觀景平臺前合影留念 Group photo of participants to the seminar in front of the 185 Platform of the Three Gorges Scenic Spot