As China confronts intensifying water scarcity, pollution and regional disparities, it has implemented a series of advanced and often experimental water-related policies. This article provides a comprehensive review and critical synthesis of these policies by drawing upon an extensive body of existing empirical literature. Anchored in the triadic evaluative framework of effectiveness, efficiency and welfare distribution, the paper assesses major national strategies — including the Strictest Water Resources Management Policy, water pricing and rights reforms, agricultural water-saving initiatives, groundwater overdraft control, the South–North Water Diversion Project and pollution mitigation mechanisms such as the River Chief System and interprovincial ecological compensation. By systematically compiling and analyzing empirical findings from both quantitative and qualitative studies, the review highlights policy impacts, regional variations in implementation and emerging trade-offs such as rebound effects and equity concerns. The study further situates China’s experience within broader theoretical frameworks in water economics and public policy, revealing a distinct hybrid governance model that integrates command-and-control regulation with market-based instruments. This review not only consolidates existing knowledge but also identifies gaps for future inquiry, offering conceptual and practical insights for other countries navigating the complexities of integrated and equitable water resource governance.
Wang et al. (Thu,) studied this question.