At the 2025 French Design Awards ceremony held recently, the Ba River (Jiuxianqiao Road to Langyuan section) Waterfront Construction Project stood out from numerous global entries to win the Gold Award.

A picturesque view of the Ba River

[Photo via Chaoyang District]

The Ba River, part of the Beiyunhe Water system, originates from the northeastern section of the Dongcheng District Moat and flows eastwards before joining the Wenyu River along the eastern boundary of Chaoyang District. It stretches a total of 21.7 kilometers, of which the award-winning 2.3-kilometer section from Jiuxianqiao Road to Langyuan has now been revitalized through multiple measures, such as water conservancy and ecological restoration projects, improved connections for pedestrians, and enhanced surrounding landscapes. These upgrades link together Indigo, Langyuan Station, Jiangfu Park, Tuofangying Park, and the riverside green spaces, shaping a vibrant, stylish waterfront that integrates ecology, culture, tourism, and commerce.

This year, Chaoyang District also completed the construction of a 6.7-kilometer flood prevention area along the Ba River (the Airport Second Expressway to the Wenyu River section). With the recent trial run of the Ba River-Beiyunhe route, the 15-kilometer Ba River waterway can now be visited, and the 21-kilometer pedestrian and cycling network along both banks has been fully connected.

Looking ahead, for China's next 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030), the Ba River will complete a 43.4-kilometer pedestrian and cycling network, creating continuous links upstream to the Northern Moat and downstream to the Qing River, Wenyu River, and Beiyunhe.

(Source: The Beijing News)