尊敬的莫雷部长、尊敬的韩魁发大使，各位代表，女士们、先生们：

值此中英水务监管机制研讨会召开之际，我谨代表中华人民共和国水利部对英国环境部部长莫雷先生、英国驻华大使韩魁发先生以及各位远道而来的朋友表示热烈的欢迎，对与会的中英双方专家和代表表示衷心的感谢。

中国是一个水资源紧缺的国家，人均水资源占有量只有2200立方米，仅相当于世界人均水资源占有量的l/4。在我国600多个城市中，有400多个城市存在供水不足的问题。其中比较严重的缺水城市有110个，全国城市缺水总量为60亿立方米。水资源污染、地下水超采和用水效率低下，进一步力，剧了有限水资源的供需矛盾。水资源短缺已成为制约我国社会经济发展的重要因素。因此，实现水资源的可持续利用，促进和保障社会经济的可持续发展，已成为我国水利行业面临的重大挑战。据预测，中国人口在2030年将达到16亿的高峰，届时人均水资源量仅有1750立方米，将成为严重缺水的国家。在充分考虑节水的情况下，预计用水总量为7000-8000亿立方米，要求供水能力比现在增长1300-2300亿立方米。扣除必须的生态环境需水后，全国实际可能利用的水资源量为8000-9000亿立方米，预计的用水量已经接近合理利用水量的上限，水资源开发的难度极大，如果不采取有力措施，中国有可能在未来出现严重的水危机。

中国政府对水资源问题予以高度重视，将水资源列为社会经济发展的战略资源，提出了“发展节水工业、农业和服务业，建设节水型社会”的战略目标。在中央治水方针的指导下，水利部提出了从传统水利向现代水利、可持续发展水利转变，以水资源可持续利用支撑和保障经济社会可持续发展的新时期治水思路。

积极推进水资源管理体制改革，综合运用法律、行政、经济、工程、科技等手段，建立流域管理与区域管理相结合的水资源统一管理体制。积极探索建立政府宏观调控、流域民协商、准市场运作和用水户参与管理的运行模式。

为实现水资源优化配置和可持续利用的目标，城乡水资源统一管理作为一种全新的管理模式应运而生。近年来，各地方人民政府为适应社会经济的发展，缓解城市水资源供需的紧张状况，逐步探索建立了集城乡防洪、水源、供水、用水、排水、污水处理与回用等管理职能为一体的水务局，对城乡水资源进行统一管理。据水利部最新统计，截止到2003年7月，全国成立水务局及由水利系统实施水务一体化管理的单位共计1206个，占全国县级以上行政区总数的50％；在663个建制市中，实现水务一体化管理的共计208个，占建制市总数的31％；上海市、深圳市、武汉市、西安市、哈尔滨市、大连市和海南市等重点城市、地区均建立了水务局，实现了水务一体化管理。水务一体化管理是水资源管理的新型模式，适应了中国社会经济发展和水资源可持续利用的趋势，存在着巨大的发展空间。

近年来，各地水务局不断探索市场经济下水务的管理职能和监管方式，在建立政事、政企、政资分开的水务管理体制，以及投资主体多元化、产业发展市场化的水务运行机制等方面，取得了一定的经验。如上海水务局成立后，组建了水务资产经营管理公司，通过社会投资项目招商，成功地组建了中外合资自来水企业和民营污水处理企业；通过开放投资市场，建立市场化的管理运营机制，形成了多元竞争的市场格局。随着市政公用事业发展与改革一系列政策的出台，通过建立水务行业特许经营制度，实现了水务行业投资主体多元化，使产业市场化成为城市水务发展的重要方向。

在未来的水务管理发展中，为适应城市化和经济社会发展的要求，我国水务行业将逐渐建立政事分开、政企分开、政资分开的城市水务管理体制；建立投资主体多元化、产业发展市场化、行业监管法制化的城市水务运行机制，建全水务法规体系；全面实现城乡水资源统一管理。

英国政府在长期的水务管理实践中，在市场监管方面积累了丰富的经验，这些经验对我国的水务管理和发展具有很好的借鉴价值，希望通过这次会议，中英双方的专家和代表充分交流经验、对相关问题进行深入探讨。中国水务行业的发展正处于起步阶段，具有广阔的市场前景，希望泰晤士水务局等英方公司能够更多地参与中国水务基础设施建设，以此次会议为契机，与我方在水务管理的各个方面建立合作机制，共同开拓合作领域。

预祝中英水务监管机制研讨会取得圆满成功。祝各位英国朋友在华期间生活愉快，祝各位代表身体健康。

谢谢大家!

Speech at the Opening Ceremony

Mr.Zhai Haohui

Vice Minister of Water Resources of the People’s Republic of China

Sino-UK Water Regulatory Seminar, 22 September 2003, Beijing

Your Excellency Minister Morley,

Your Excellency Ambassador Christopher Hum,

Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen

On the occasion of the opening of the Sino-UK Water Regulatory Seminar, may I extend, on behalf of the ministry of Water Resources of the People’s Republic ofChina, a warm welcome to Your Excellency Minister Morley and Your Excellency Ambassador Christopher Hum and the experts and representatives from both sidesparticipating in this seminar.

China i s a country of water scarcity, with a p er capita volume o f only 2200 cubic meters, about one-fourth of the world average. Among the about 600 cities, more than 400 have inadequate water supply, 110 have serious water shortage. The total water shortage in thc cities is 6 billion cubic meters annually. The problems of water pollution, groundwater overdraft and low efficiency of water usc further widen the gap between water supply and demand. Water scarcity has become an important restricting factor to the sustainable social and economic development. Therefore, to achieve sustainable use of water resourccs to promote and guarantee the sustainable social and economic development has become a big challenge to the water sector in China. It is forecasted that the national population will reach the maximum of 1.6 billion in year 2030, when the per capita volume of water resources will be only 1750 cubic meters, ranking China among the countries with the most serious water scarcity in the world. It is forecasted with full consideration to water saving potential that the total water use then will be 700 billion to 800 billion cubic meters, requiring an addition of 130 billion to 230 billion cubic meters of water supply capacity. After deducting the necessary ecological use, the exploitable volume of water resources in the whole country will be 800 billion to 900 billion cubic meters, therefore, the water use forecasted is already near the upper limit to the rational water use. Therefore, the development of water resources will be very difficult, and serious water crisis would occur to China ifno effective measures are adopted.

The Chinese government pays great attention to water resources issues and has ranked water resources among strategic resources for the social and economic development. Strategic goals have been put forward as "developing water saving industries,agriculture and services and establishing a water saving society". Under the guidance of the central government, the Ministry of Water Resources has put forward a new strategy to shift from the traditional approach to water resources management towards the modem one, that is, sustainable water resources management so as to support the sustainable social and economic development. Reform of water resources management system has been implemented actively, setting up an integrated water resources management system combining river basin management and regional management with legal, political, economic, engineering and technical instruments; and setting u p a n operating m ode based o n government m acro-control, stakeholder consultation, semi-market operation and water users participation in management.

In order to meet the needs by rational allocation and sustainable utilization of water resources, integrated water resources management in both urban and rural areas as abrand new management mode was bom. Over the recent years, in order to meet the needs of social and economic development and alleviate the urban water shortages,the 1ocal overnments have setup through studies t he water a flairs bureaus which undertake the unified management for flood control, water resources, water supply,water use, water saving, wastewater discharge, waster-water treatment and reuse so as to managc water resources in both urban and rural areas as a whole. According to the latest statistics of the Ministry of Water Resources, by July 31, 2003, the total number of water affairs bureaus and units implementing the integrated management is 1206, covering 50% of the total administrative regions at and above county level. Among the 663 cities, integrated water resources management has been implemented in 208 cities, or 31% of the total ities. In important cities such as Shanghai, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Xi’an, Harbin, Dalian and Hainan Province, etc. the water affairs bureaus have all been built. Integrated water affair management is a new mode for water resources management, suitable for the economic and social development and sustainable water resources management in China, thus having a broad horizon for development.

Through progressive studies on the functions and regulatory methods of water management under market economy, the local water affairs bureaus have gained some experiences on setting up water resources management system with separation between governmental and non-govenmental functions, between governments and enterprises, and between governmental functions and asset management functions,and on setting up water affairs operating mechanism with multi-investment resources and market-oriented industrial development. For example, after the establishment of Shanghai Municipal Water Affairs Bureau, it set up a water affairs asset management company. It also successfully formed a joint venture water treatment enterprise and aprivately owned waster-water treatment enterprise through public biddings. A market pattern of poly-competition has been formed through opening the investment market and setting up a market-based management and operation mechanism. With the issuing of policies for the development and reform of municipal public utilities and the establishment of the concessionary anagement system in water affairs sector,multi-investment resources of water affairs sector has been promoted and industry marketization has become ail important development direction of urban water affairssector.

Our development strategy for water affairs is: setting up a municipal water afihirs management system with separation between the governmental and non-governmental functions, between governments and enterprises, and between governmental functions and asset management functions to meet the needs of urbanization and social economic development; setting up a municipal water affairs operating mechanism with multi-investment resources, market-oriented industrial development and legalized regulation; setting up the water affairs legal system and strengthening integrated water resources management in urban and rural areas.

UK has accumulated abundant experiences on government administration and regulation of water affairs market, which will be very beneficial to the water management in China. I hope that in this seminar, experts and representatives from both sides will fully exchange experiences and discuss relevant issues. At presents, Chinese water affairs sector is in the ascendant with great prospects and huge market potential. 1 hope that the Thames Water and other British companies will participate in more activities in water affairs infrastructure and market development in China.

At last, I wish this seminar full of accomplishment and a great success. Meanwhile, 1 wish you British friends and representatives happy and healthy in Beijing.

Thank you very much.
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