River basin water resources management in China: a legal and institutional assessment

China's rivers face major challenges arising from social and economic development, particularly associated with pollution and over-abstraction. Although these issues vary significantly across the country, China has adopted a national, unified approach to manage water resources in a river basin context. This paper assesses the legal and institutional arrangements for river basin management in terms of decentralization and centralization. It considers the appropriate roles for the different levels of government, including providing for participation and integration across these levels. It proposes strengthening institutional development and capacity building in the future.