Foreign news

Xi Jinping urges officials and Party members to take responsibility in flood-triggered relief work

Published

6 years ago

August 21, 2020

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday urged local governments and Party members to take responsibility in flood-triggered disaster prevention and relief work as large parts of China were reeling from the worst floods in decades.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks during a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

It is the third instruction from Xi on natural disaster control and prevention in less than three weeks.

Since the flood season began in June, a total of 433 rivers, as well as major lakes like Dongting, Poyang and Taihu, have risen beyond their warning levels, according to a release by the Ministry of Water Resources (MWR) on July 13.

As many as 33 rivers have risen to their highest levels in history.

The MWR said the current trends remain grim on the Yangtze River and Taihu Lake basins, and the belt of heavy rain that has lashed central China would eventually head north.

The Ministry of Emergency Management said since June the average rainfall has broken its record since in 1961, and 141 people were dead or missing, with economic losses at around 60 billion yuan (8.57 billion U.S. dollars).

Xi said governments at all levels as well as Party members should be mobilized in fighting the floods and they should pull all out to ensure the safety of people’s lives and property.

Xi emphasized that flood prevention and disaster relief are related to people’s safety and lives, food security, economic and social security and national security.

It’s very important to handle flood prevention and disaster relief work properly, Xi said, as China will build a moderately prosperous society in all respects and win the battle against poverty by the end of this year.

As northern China will enter its rainy season, Xi asked relevant departments and local governments to strengthen coordination in flood control.

During the meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on May 19, Xi warned of potential damage and economic losses as the country was about to enter a flood season and asked relevant departments and local governments to overcome difficulties and race against time to repair reservoirs and store enough disaster supplies so as to protect people’s lives and property.

The meeting on Friday urged governments at all levels to put people’s lives and property first, and local authorities should carefully plan production resumption and help people get back to their normal lives as soon as possible.

(Cover: Evacuating flood-stranded people with a rubber boat in Jingdezhen City, east China’s Jiangxi Province, July 8, 2020. /Xinhua)

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Foreign news

Court of Arbitration Declares Indus Waters Treaty Fully Operational Rejects India’s ‘Abeyance’

Published

1 month ago

August 31, 2026

The Gleamer

Cyril Ogar

The Court of Arbitration has unanimously reaffirmed that the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) remains fully in force, ruling that India cannot unilaterally place the 1960 agreement in “abeyance” or suspend its obligations under the treaty.

The decision represents a significant legal development in the longstanding dispute between India and Pakistan over the management and use of the Indus river system.

The Court’s finding addresses a fundamental issue at the heart of the dispute: whether either party can unilaterally suspend the treaty outside the legal framework agreed by both countries.

In its unanimous determination, the Court made clear that the IWT continues to bind both India and Pakistan and that its obligations cannot be set aside through a unilateral political declaration.

The ruling means India remains subject to the treaty provisions governing the use of the Western Rivers, including requirements relating to the design and operation of hydroelectric projects, as well as the dispute-resolution mechanisms established under the agreement.

The Court has also ordered interim measures concerning the Ratle Hydroelectric Plant, restricting specified construction activities while the broader dispute remains under consideration.

The measures are aimed at preserving the effectiveness of the arbitration process and preventing developments that could prejudice the outcome of the proceedings.

For Pakistan, the decision represents significant legal validation of its longstanding position that the IWT is a binding international agreement and contains no provision allowing either party to unilaterally place it in abeyance.

Pakistan has consistently maintained that disagreements over the treaty should be addressed through the institutional mechanisms established by the agreement, rather than through unilateral action.

The IWT provides a structured framework for resolving disputes through mechanisms including the Permanent Indus Commission, Neutral Expert and Court of Arbitration processes.

The latest ruling therefore reinforces the principle that treaty obligations cannot simply be disregarded because of deteriorating political relations between signatories.

The significance of the decision extends beyond the India-Pakistan dispute. It underscores the broader international-law principle that agreements governing shared rivers and other transboundary resources must be respected and disputes resolved through established legal and institutional channels.

The Indus river system supports agriculture, livelihoods, food security and communities across the region, making the stability of the treaty particularly important.

The ruling also highlights the distinction between seeking to amend an international agreement through mutually agreed procedures and attempting to alter its obligations unilaterally.

The IWT has endured wars, prolonged diplomatic tensions and periods of limited bilateral engagement. Its continued operation demonstrates the importance of rules-based mechanisms in managing shared resources when relations between neighbouring states become strained.

For Pakistan, the outcome provides an opportunity to frame the decision not merely as a bilateral legal victory, but as an affirmation of international law, treaty compliance and peaceful dispute resolution.

The central message from the ruling is clear: the Indus Waters Treaty remains in force, its obligations continue to bind both parties, and disputes concerning shared waters must be addressed through the legal mechanisms agreed by India and Pakistan.

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