The protection of the Yellow River is critical to the great rejuvenation and sustainable development of the Chinese nation. That explains why China has set the ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River basin as a major national strategy.

The 5,464-km-long waterway is the cradle of Chinese civilization. The river feeds about 12 percent of China's population, irrigates about 15 percent of arable land, supports 14 percent of national GDP, and supplies water to more than 60 cities.

Following his previous visits to Gansu province last August, Henan province last September and Shanxi province in May, all of which are located in the Yellow River Basin, Xi, on Monday afternoon, inspected Ningxia Hui autonomous region, where he visited a section of the Yellow River in the city of Wuzhong to learn about efforts to strengthen ecological protection of the river.