The ongoing debates on climate change and global warming have been gaining in significance following the severe drought in Southwestern China, and the vicious winter storms which have hit the North, resulting in some of the worst winter weather in over 40 years.
The Yellow River is the longest river in Northern China. Its waters are used to irrigate almost 15% of China's total arable land, and in turn, around 140 million people.
But the regional drought and lack of rainfall in 2009 has meant that the Yellow River's water reserves have been plummeting. The Yellow River Conservancy Commission says the river's water levels had fallen 30% compared to previous years.
Although it may not be on the list of sports in the winter Olympics, 'Polar bear swimming' has become an increasingly popular winter event for many residents of northern Chinese. Residents who have come to love taking the plunge into sub-zero waters look forward to winter to practice their seasonal activity.
The annual "Polar Bear" swimming season is well under way in China's northeastern city of Harbin. The two-day contest has again prompted hundreds of brave swimmers from all over the country to plunge into a freezing swimming pool carved out of ice from the Songhua river.