The United Nations water conference was held in New York Wednesday. In a general debate, Li Guoying, Minister of Water Resources of China presented four proposals: first, everyone has the basic right to safe drinking water; second, that freshwater resources are limited and there is no substitute; thirdly, the right of rivers to survive in nature should be respected and water should be treated as a living entity and there should be a harmonious coexistence between humans and rivers; and fourth, there should be cooperation with UN agencies to provide a platform for governments, international organizations, think tanks, civil societies and other stakeholders on water management.

Industry experts from different countries praised China's four proposals and recognized its achievements in water management.