BEIJING, May 26 -- China will scale up investment in the construction of a national water network, an official said Friday.

The central budget will focus on bolstering water network construction projects that extend across different regions, or aim to improve the country's capabilities regarding flood prevention and grain production, said Zhao Chenxin, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission, at a press conference.

Local governments will be required to prioritize investment in the construction, and ensure the solid implementation of related projects, Zhao said.

Following a market-oriented and law-based principle, the country will encourage all types of investors to partake in the construction, especially those in the private sector, Zhao added.

China has recently issued a guideline for the construction of a national water network throughout the 2021-2035 period, amid efforts to enhance the capability to safeguard water security.

The guideline sets multiple long-term goals, including seeing a national water network take shape, creating water networks at the provincial, municipal, and county levels, and fostering a national water security system that meets the requirements of realizing socialist modernization.