China's efforts in flood control have paid off, bringing 3.4 trillion yuan (420 billion U.S. dollars) of direct economic returns in the last 56 years, 10 times that of the capital input to fight floods during the period.

The figure was calculated on the basis of the invariable price in 2000, according to E Jingping, vice minister of water resources, at a national conference on flood control and drought relief held in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province.

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the country has surmounted many floods by its own flood control system and ensured the safety of major rivers, large cities and important railway lines, said E, also secretary-general of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.

"We have safeguarded the healthy and sustainable development of China's economic and social development to the maximum extent," E said, adding that many areas in the middle and lower reaches of major Chinese rivers have become important agricultural bases in the country, E said.

Statistics show that in the 1949-2005 period, China prevented the inundation of 153 million hectares of crop lands, 2.73 million each year.

If 250 kg grain can be put out per mu (0.07 hectares), then a total of 574 million tons of grain have been prevented from loss in the flood-hit areas, 10.43 million tons each year, E said.

Source: Xinhua