What they are saying in 'passage interviews'

E Jingping, minister of water resources

A recent joint forecast by the Ministry of Water Resources and the China Meteorological Administration revealed that climatological conditions in the country will be unfavorable for flood control efforts this year. Precipitation will be unevenly distributed with a higher frequency of extreme weather events.

While the southern parts of the country will be wetter this summer, northern areas are expected to be more arid. With more precipitation along the Yangtze River, the waterway may suffer major floods. The ministry will make every effort to prepare for possible floods.

Preparations will be made far in advance. While flood forecasting and alerts will be strengthened, the ministry will also make full use of water conservancy projects and make them play a larger role in containing floodwaters and reducing damage.