标签： Asia

China’s ambitious sponge city initiative, designed to build climate-resilient urban flood control systems, is facing an unforeseen public health challenge: many of its core assets may be acting as unintended breeding grounds for disease-carrying mosquitoes, according to a recent perspective piece published in *China CDC Weekly*. The analysis identifies a critical gap in the national standards governing sponge city design, which currently omit public health requirements for standing water management targeted at vector-borne disease control.

Industry experts broadly agree that the underlying concept of sponge city infrastructure is hydrologically sound. The initiative, which integrates permeable pavements, bioretention basins, rain gardens, constructed wetlands, and sunken green spaces into urban landscapes, has delivered proven results in reducing urban flood risk by absorbing and filtering stormwater. China’s existing national evaluation framework for these projects is highly sophisticated when it comes to hydrological performance, tracking key metrics such as runoff volume control ratios, pollutant removal efficiency, and overall water quality improvement. However, the framework completely overlooks critical biological risk factors. Specifically, it does not mandate a maximum post-storm dry-down time — the critical window within which standing water must drain to prevent mosquito larvae from completing their life cycle — nor does it require a formal linkage between routine infrastructure inspections and coordinated vector control responses, the perspective notes.

This public health warning arrives amid an unusually early start to China’s 2026 mosquito season, driven by shifting climate conditions that have expanded the range and active period of high-risk mosquito species. *Aedes albopictus*, more commonly known as the tiger mosquito and ranked among the world’s 100 most invasive species, overwinters in egg form with hardened egg shells that can survive months of cold and drought before hatching once temperatures and moisture levels become favorable. China’s National Disease Control and Prevention Administration (NCDCPA) warned this spring that rising average temperatures and increased rainfall across the country have steadily expanded the geographic range of Aedes mosquitoes, extending their active season at both the start and end of the year. In Guangdong province, a particularly warm winter combined with frequent early-spring rainfall created ideal conditions for an unusually early mosquito season onset.

“The perception that there are far more mosquitoes this year is not imagined,” noted Kang Min, chief expert for infectious disease prevention and control at the Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention. “Right now, most mosquitoes residents are encountering are common household species, which overwinter as adults and rebound rapidly once temperatures stabilize. But the far more concerning tiger mosquito population, which transmits dengue fever and chikungunya, is still growing.”

Kang added that local health authorities have already detected tiger mosquitoes in multiple counties and districts across Guangdong, with vector density already reaching extremely high levels in some residential areas. The geographic risk of Aedes-borne disease is also expanding across China: historically, dengue fever was confined to China’s tropical and subtropical southern provinces, but disease ecologists are now tracking a well-documented trend of “southern disease spreading north.”

“In the past, the cold winter season acted as a natural population reset, interrupting transmission chains and eliminating local endemic cases,” explained Chen Xiaoguang, director of the Institute of Tropical Medicine at Southern Medical University. “If winters become too short and too warm to complete this reset, ongoing outbreaks can simply carry over from one year to the next, creating permanent endemic risk in new regions.”

Experts from a recent NCDCPA news conference emphasized that the 2026 risk of imported dengue and chikungunya cases triggering local transmission is significantly higher than in previous years, with some regions facing a tangible possibility of large clustered outbreaks. This warning is backed by a recent severe outbreak in Guangdong that health officials link in part to unregulated standing water in urban infrastructure: on July 9 last year, Foshan city reported a cluster of chikungunya cases, and by July 26, the provincial total had climbed to 4,824 confirmed cases across 12 prefecture-level cities. A staggering 98.5% of all cases — 4,754 total — were concentrated in Foshan, with 87.2% of all provincial cases clustered in Foshan’s Shunde district alone.

Guangdong’s public health authorities have already begun taking proactive steps to address the growing risk: the province has expanded its mosquito monitoring network, deploying small CDC-branded ovitrap devices in high-traffic public areas including parks, hospital grounds, schools, and construction sites. Devices are checked every four days, with density data fed into provincial-level risk modeling systems to target vector control responses.

To address the root cause of the risk, experts say a full overhaul of governance across the entire sponge city infrastructure life cycle is required. “Entomological risk indicators must be translated into clear engineering specifications and embedded at every stage of a project, from initial planning and design through construction acceptance, to long-term routine operation and maintenance,” said Guan Zhongjun, a professor at the Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University and leading expert in medical management.

Guan added that clear cross-agency responsibility delineation is critical to closing the current regulatory gap: housing and urban-rural development authorities must update civil engineering codes to mandate regular physical access for inspection and maintenance of all water-holding infrastructure; water resources and municipal maintenance departments must implement routine clearing and drainage of standing water after major storm events; and public health agencies must conduct formal vector impact assessments before new sponge city infrastructure projects break ground. These vector-proofing measures would apply to all existing sponge city assets across China’s urban landscapes, which without proper dry-down standards and routine maintenance can function as efficient mosquito nurseries just as effectively as they function as flood control buffers.

On a fog-shrouded early morning on March 31, excitement hung thick in the air at Yangdu Wharf, located along the sprawling banks of the Yangtze River in Zhongxian County, Chongqing. Long before the first golden rays of sunrise broke through the gray mist, the crackle of celebratory firecrackers and the deep, resonant blast of a ship’s horn cut through the quiet, marking a momentous occasion for local communities: the maiden voyage of the Yu Zhong Ke 2180, the newly upgraded iteration of the region’s beloved ‘basket ferry’.

For decades, these small ferries have earned their affectionate nickname from the wicker baskets local farmers stow on board, filled with fresh produce, livestock, and daily supplies bound for markets on the opposite bank of the river. For generations of agricultural producers cut off from cross-river market access by the Yangtze’s wide waters, the basket ferry has been far more than a simple transport service — it is the economic lifeline that connects their crops to paying customers, and allows them to access essential goods and services unavailable on their side of the river.

The newly launched Yu Zhong Ke 2180 brings a welcome modern update to this longstanding community service. Its bold, bright red hull cuts a striking figure against the river’s misty surface, a vivid contrast to its predecessor, a faded yellow vessel that faithfully served the Zhongxian community for 13 years before being retired. Photographs from January, ahead of the official launch, show lines of local farmers queuing to board the new craft, their own baskets stacked at their sides, ready to use the upgraded service that will continue to support their livelihoods for years to come.

This upgrade marks the entry of the iconic Yangtze basket ferry into a new era, balancing the deep cultural and practical roots it has in local life with modern safety and comfort improvements that ensure it can continue serving future generations of Zhongxian farmers.

A viral social media post that set Chinese social platform Sina Weibo abuzz this week claimed 7 metric tons of bleaching powder would be dumped into Hangzhou’s iconic West Lake, sparking widespread public anxiety over potential ecological and tourism impacts at the UNESCO World Heritage site. But local authorities have stepped forward to ease fears, explaining the measure is a decades-old routine maintenance practice designed to protect the lake’s beloved lotus displays.

When the speculation spread, thousands of netizens raised questions about the operation, worrying the disinfectant would contaminate West Lake’s water, harm native aquatic wildlife, and disrupt the site’s critical tourism industry. In response, the West Lake Water Area Administration in Zhejiang Province detailed the long-standing practice to China Daily, noting that this annual “pond-clearing” initiative has been carried out for nearly 30 years to safeguard the lake’s iconic lotus plants.

April marks a critical juncture for lotus growth: as spring temperatures climb, harmful pests, pathogenic bacteria, and filamentous algae like spirogyra multiply rapidly. These invasive organisms compete with young lotus plants for vital nutrients, and can tangle the species’ fragile emerging buds, explained Yu Yangyang, head of the administration’s aquatic plant maintenance team. Adding to the threat, herbivorous fish often graze on tender new lotus shoots. Once shoots are damaged, the plants’ underground rhizomes become susceptible to rot, which can completely block blooming for an entire growing season.

The bleaching powder used in the operation is primarily composed of calcium hypochlorite, a government-approved disinfectant that kills pathogens and suppresses algae growth before breaking down naturally within 24 to 48 hours, authorities confirmed. Contrary to viral claims that the full 7,000-kilogram batch would be released into the lake at once, the chemical is applied incrementally across 24 designated lotus zones covering roughly 10 hectares — just 1 percent of West Lake’s total water surface area. To avoid disrupting visitor experiences, all application work is carried out overnight, wrapping up before early morning crowds arrive at the scenic site.

Strict operational protocols are in place to minimize ecological impact. Workers deploy in pairs from small boats, starting at the edges of each enclosed lotus zone to ensure even dispersion and keep the disinfectant contained within treatment areas. All lotus growing zones are separated from the rest of the lake by protective nets; before the operation began, maintenance teams lifted the lower edge of these nets to allow wild fish to swim out of the treatment areas, protecting the animals from chemical exposure while also preventing them from grazing on young lotus shoots once the process is complete.

“The amount of bleaching powder we use has negligible impact on native fish and bird populations, and the entire operation is completely safe for the environment,” said an administration spokesperson. The 2026 maintenance work began on Wednesday night and is on track to wrap up by Sunday, after which lotus buds will begin to emerge, with the first full blooms expected to open by late May.

West Lake’s lotus conservation is a year-round commitment for maintenance teams. Each spring, crews reinforce protective nets; in summer, they pull weeds and thin overcrowded plantings; in autumn, they install new enclosure nets to help lotus roots store nutrients for the winter; and in the cold winter months, they clear away withered plants to prepare for the next growing cycle. This year, visitors will also get a preview of an exciting new addition: a trial planting of a long-flowering autumn lotus variety at Fengyu Pavilion, which will extend the lake’s lotus viewing season all the way to November.

For 95-year-old New Fourth Army veteran Zhang Kexia, the scattered memorial halls and historic battlefields across China’s inland mountain regions are far more than static relics of history. Enlisted at just 13 years old, Zhang sees these sites hold profound meaning as living, foundational pillars of Chinese identity. “They are not cold stones and abandoned old buildings,” she explained. “They are the shared root of all Chinese people.”

For decades, however, these iconic old revolutionary base areas – the rural strongholds that nurtured China’s national liberation movement between 1927 and 1949 – faced a stubborn contradiction. Though they carry unmatched historical significance, their remote geographic locations and rugged terrain left them struggling to keep pace with China’s sweeping national economic growth over the past decades.

Today, a profound, nationwide transformation is unfolding across these regions, driven by a landmark strategic commitment from the Chinese central government. In March 2026, the general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council released official guidelines to accelerate the comprehensive revitalization of old revolutionary base areas, formalizing this national priority.

The new policy framework lays out a clear development roadmap extending to 2035, with the core goal of aligning these regions’ modernization progress with the country’s broader national development targets by fostering self-sustaining, long-term economic growth. Moving away from the heavy reliance on direct government subsidies that characterized past support models, the new strategy taps into the unique local assets these regions hold – most notably their deep, rich Red cultural heritage – and integrates this legacy with modern industrial development, ecological conservation, and national rural vitalization initiatives.

This integrated development model is already being put into practice in Shanxi province, a region home to some of China’s most pivotal old revolutionary base areas, including the key strongholds of the Eighth Route Army, the CPC-led main fighting force during the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression from 1931 to 1945. Tian Yuehui, deputy curator of the Taihang Memorial Museum of the Eighth Route Army in Wuxiang County, Changzhi, has watched this transformation unfold over her 26-year career at the site.

Since opening to the public in 1988, the museum has evolved from a static memorial into a vibrant, engaging cultural tourism destination, according to Tian. In 2025 alone, the site welcomed more than 1.03 million visitors and hosted over 500 cultural and educational activities designed specifically for diverse audience groups.

Beyond the museum itself, Tian noted that local authorities have developed an extensive cluster of cultural industry projects, including a purpose-built Red cultural park and a public peace square, to further amplify and preserve the Eighth Route Army’s cultural legacy. These initiatives, she explained, are injecting new, dynamic vitality into the high-quality development of the local old revolutionary base area.

“Empowering the local cultural and tourism sector with our unique Red heritage is not only a core cultural mission for this region, it is also the only viable path to achieve robust, sustained development here,” Tian said. Backing this growth momentum, local officials have set an ambitious target to generate 3 billion yuan ($435.9 million) in annual direct tourism revenue by 2035.

This localized development approach aligns perfectly with the priorities laid out in the national revitalization guidelines, which emphasize turning historical heritage into a dynamic, self-sustaining engine for modern shared prosperity.

The national policy document outlines a multifaceted strategy that supports the development of distinctive local industries, advances coordinated regional and urban-rural development, strengthens core infrastructure and public service systems, expands support for education, science, technology and talent cultivation, and preserves and promotes the iconic Red culture that defines these historic regions.

For residents and business owners who live and work in these areas, the true measure of the policy’s success lies in its tangible impact on local economies and everyday life. In Jiangxi province, the synergy between Red tourism expansion and rural entrepreneurship is already delivering visible, widespread prosperity.

Ruijin, the historic capital of the Chinese Soviet Republic founded by the CPC in 1931 in southern Jiangxi, is home to Zhufang Village, which once served as a critical logistics base for the provisional central government and hosts multiple historic sites from early revolutionary health care institutions. In recent years, Zhufing has leveraged its unique Red heritage to build a modern health and wellness economy, centered on the integrated development of cultural tourism, rural homestays, professional health services, sustainable agriculture and other connected industries.

“The most obvious transformation has been the massive upgrade to local infrastructure and supporting public facilities,” said Wang Xinwen, who operates a popular homestay in Zhufang. He pointed to improved paved roads, new public lighting and modernized sanitation systems as game-changing improvements. “These upgrades have directly lifted the overall visitor experience, which translates directly to higher revenue and more stable business for local operators like me,” he explained.

Wang recalled a recent group of travelers from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region who had only planned a short layover in the village. “They were genuinely surprised to find such a pleasant, well-maintained scenic spot here in Ruijin,” he said. “They enjoyed their stay so much that they extended their visit by an extra night after just one day exploring the area.”

Wang added that he has seen rapid growth in demand for integrated health, wellness and study-tour services in the region. “This development path has enormous growth potential, and it aligns perfectly with the national push to revitalize old revolutionary base areas. It not only promises solid growth for individual local businesses, it also lifts the entire local tourism sector as a whole,” he said.

Wang emphasized his appreciation for the government’s heavy investment in public infrastructure, which allows local business owners to focus their own resources on upgrading service quality and visitor experiences, rather than funding basic public works. “Working in partnership with the local government – with clear policy guidance and full support at every step of the process – we feel far more confident and secure building our businesses here,” he said.

The growing wave of revitalization has also attracted a new generation of young entrepreneurs back to their rural hometowns. Zhong Dan, a 30-something entrepreneur, moved back to Ruijin from Beijing to launch an e-commerce platform that sells local, sustainably grown agricultural products to national consumers. “My decision to come home was driven by two things: my belief in the quality of my hometown’s eco-friendly farm produce, and my desire to use my professional e-commerce experience to bring these local specialties to a much wider national audience,” she explained.

When Zhong and her husband first launched their farm operation, however, the village had underdeveloped roads, weak basic infrastructure, and the remote location made logistics and access extremely difficult. The local government stepped in with substantial targeted support, installing 10 new public street lamps for the farm at no cost. It also helped the village secure 900,000 yuan in collective village funds to upgrade general local infrastructure, and assisted Zhong in accessing an additional 300,000 yuan in funding to reinforce a local river embankment that protected the farm.

In recent years, the overall upgrading of village infrastructure and the booming growth of Ruijin’s Red tourism sector has directly boosted Zhong’s business. In 2025, the farm generated 2 million yuan in turnover, selling a diverse range of products including free-range chickens, ducks, soft-shelled turtles, grass carp, wild honey, lotus seeds, wild mushrooms, as well as newly introduced organic rice and high-quality camellia oil.

Zhong is deeply optimistic about the long-term development of Ruijin and other old revolutionary base areas. “We are committed to promoting Ruijin’s high-quality agricultural products and rich rural tourism resources, introducing our local specialties and beautiful natural landscapes to a much broader national audience,” she said.

She also voiced hope for continued government support for young e-commerce entrepreneurs building businesses in these regions.

“Expanded access to more resources would allow more local businesses like ours to help raise incomes for more local villagers,” she added. “By riding this wave of revitalization, we can grow our ventures through rural tourism, agricultural e-commerce and other innovative industries to build a better, more prosperous future for everyone in these historic regions.”