Huiping township in Qidong takes comprehensive measures to protect its 4-kilometer-long Yangtze River coastal line, to build an excellent ecological environment. [Photo/ntfabu.com]

In recent years, Huiping township in Qidong, a county-level city administered by Nantong in East China's Jiangsu province, has taken the initiative in implementing the Two Mountains theory, which states that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets. To build an excellent ecological environment, the township has taken comprehensive measures to protect its 4-kilometer-long Yangtze River coastal line.

Starting in 2018, Huiping township has cleaned up and rectified the illegal occupation of the shoreline, reclaimed more than 53 hectares of docks and gravel storage yards, and smoothed the "scars" along the Huiping section of the Yangtze River beach.

To further green the banks and accelerate ecological construction, Huiping township has implemented an afforestation project on the inner side of the Yangtze River embankment since April 2019.

Through the government leasing land and enterprises planting trees, the villages, farmland forest networks and passageways along the Yangtze River embankment have been greened and afforested.

In August this year, the town also established a full-time team to patrol river and sea dikes, to improve the long-term management system that combines daily patrols and emergency responses. The team has four full-time personnel and implements 24-hour patrols.