Global Water Partnership (GWP) -China-Yellow River, the world's first water partnership dedicated to a single river basin, was set up Tuesday in Zhengzhou, capital of central China's Henan.

Margaret Catley-Carlson, Chairperson of GWP, attended Tuesday's inauguration ceremony together with Li Guoying, director of the China Yellow River Conservancy Commission.

"This is a historic and momentous event as the GWP in other parts of the world are watching us here in the basin of China's mother river," said Mrs. Carlson, adding that the establishment of the GWP-China-Yellow River was a milestone in the history of GWPs.

"The Yellow River runs through nine provinces," said Sun Feng from the China Yellow River Conservancy Commission. "Joining GWP will help China with the sustainable management of its water resources."

GWP is a nongovernmental working partnership among government agencies, public institutions, private companies, professional organizations and multilateral development agencies.

Founded in Stockholm, Sweden in 1996, the GWP has so far absorbed 13 partners worldwide.

GWP-China, set up in 2000, now has three provincial-level partners in China. They are north China's Hebei Province, east China's Jiangsu Province and Shaanxi Province in northwest China.

(Xinhua News Agency October 18, 2005)