---
title: "Yangtze River Protection Law — Definition & Meaning"
description: "The Yangtze River Protection Law is China's first statute for a river basin, enacted in 2020 to ensure ecological protection and green development."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/yangtze-river-protection-law"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- The Yangtze River Protection Law is China's first national statute dedicated to a single river basin, enacted in 2020 to govern ecological protection and green development of the Yangtze.
- When was the Yangtze River Protection Law enacted and when did it take effect?
- What is the ten-year fishing ban and how does it relate to the law?
- How does the law reflect China's 'ecological civilisation' policy?
- Why is this law significant for shenlun writing?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

The Yangtze River Protection Law is China's first national statute dedicated to a single river basin, enacted in 2020 to govern ecological protection and green development of the Yangtze.

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## Timeline

1. 26 December 2020

   It was adopted by the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) on and entered into force on 1 March 2021.

2. 1 March 2021

   It was adopted by the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) on 26 December 2020 and entered into force on .

3. 1 January 2021

   Its core features include a statutory ten-year fishing ban (十年禁渔) on the Yangtze's main stream and key tributaries from , mandatory ecological flow guarantee…

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In December 2020 China's NPC Standing Committee passed the Yangtze River Protection Law, under which a ten-year fishing ban took effect on 1 January 2021 and resettled over 110,000 fishing households.

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