In 1997, the Yellow River dried up, 750 km from its mouth in the Bohai Sea, triggering significant comment and concern both within and beyond China. In China, this drying-up elicited a broad response in print and broadcast media about the environmental consequences of rapid economic development. At the same time, the state directed a range of scientific and technical organizations to focus research on the causes of water depletion in the Yellow River basin. Internationally, the general issue of water scarcity in north China prompted speculation about China’s future ability to feed itself and the consequent impact on global grain markets (Brown and Halweil, 1998).