On January 3, the government of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and the Guangdong provincial government signed an agreement on the horizontal ecological compensation of the upper and lower reaches of the Jiuzhou River Basin on the principle of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation (2018-2020). It is reported that the protection of the ecological environment of the Jiuzhou River Basin is the joint responsibility of Guangxi and Guangdong, and is in line with the common interests of the two provinces (districts). In order to protect and improve the water environment of the Jiuzhou River Basin and ensure the safety of drinking water, the two provinces drew on the successful experience during 2015 to 2017, and signed the agreement.

The agreement makes clear that assessment of the horizontal ecological compensation of the upper and lower reaches of the Jiuzhou River Basin will be conducted from 2018 to 2020, with the mountain foot section of Jiuzhou River Basin as the monitoring section, the pH value, permanganate index, ammonia nitrogen, total phosphorus, and five-day biochemical oxygen demand specified in Table 1 of the “Environmental Quality Standard for Surface Water” (GB3838-2002) as the assessment indexes, and the water quality monitoring data determined by the China National Environmental Monitoring Center as the assessment basis. According to the agreement, the annual average water quality of the cross-provincial sections must reach the Class III water quality standard. In 2018, 2019 and 2020, the control rate of the monthly average water quality of the cross-provincial sections must reach 75%, 83% and 100%, respectively, and the pollution treatment on the three tributaries of the Jiuzhou River- Tangpeng River (Yingqiao River), Shachani River (Changshan River) and Gaoqiao River (Daba River) must be strengthened. The water environment must continue to be improved.

Guangxi and Guangdong have jointly set up a fund for the horizontal ecological compensation of the upper and lower reaches of the Jiuzhou River Basin. In 2018-2020, the two provinces (districts) will contribute 100 million yuan each year, and allocate funds in accordance with the compensation method determined by the Implementation Plan for Horizontal Ecological Compensation of the Upper and Lower Reaches of the Jiuzhou River Basin (2018-2020). The central fiscal authority will determine the reward funds according to the completion of the assessment targets, and allocate them to the upper reaches of the basin for the prevention and control of water pollution. The funds must be used in compliance with the target requirements and engineering tasks identified in the Guangdong-Guangxi Jiuzhou River Basin Water Pollution Prevention and Control Plan approved by the two provinces (districts). The two provinces (districts) shall jointly strengthen supervision over the use of compensation funds, and ensure that they are used in full accordance with regulations.