长江水运是流域东、中、西部地区大开发的纽带

长江流域横跨东、中、西部3大地区，历史的成就印证了流域经济发展与长江自然资源和便利的水运交通具有密切的关系。长江流域在长期的经济发展和城市化进程中，已初步形成了长江经济带的格局。长江水运在流域经济和综合交通系统中占有重要的作用和地位。长江流域西部经济大开发与长江水运的不断发展具有相互依存的有机联系，长江具有承东启西的优越条件，长江水运在流域西部大开发进程中具有不可替代的桥梁和纽带作用。

Yangtze waterway transport is the tie for developing the eastern, central and western regions of Yangtze basin

The Yangtze basin stretches over the eastern, central and western regions of China. Historical achievements have verified the close relations among the economic development of the Yangtze basin, the natural resources of the Yangtze river and the convenient Yangtze waterway transport. A frame of the Yangtze economic zone has basically taken shape in the long course of economic development and urbanization in the Yangtze basin. The Yangtze waterway transport plays an important role and occupies an important place in the economic system and the comprehensive traffic system of the basin. The economic development of the western region in the Yangtze basin and the uninterrupted development of the Yangtze waterway transport have a close relation of interexistence. The Yangtze river possesses excellent conditions for forming a connecting link between the eastern and western regions. The Yangtze waterway transport plays a non-fungible role of bridge and tie in the course of the western region development in the Yangtze basin.