A watershed is a complex system characterized by changes at different temporal and spatial scales. There are uncertainties associated with predicting and managing these changes. Some countries and regions have developed relatively mature governance practices and experience in many aspects of watershed management, including the identification of watershed problems and pressures, the promotion of a conceptual consensus to undertake holistic planning of watersheds, and some specific working methods, such as nature-based solutions, encouraging diverse stakeholder participation, including that of women and other marginalized groups, and integrating long-term needs and short-term actions. At the same time, however, there is still a long way to go to integrate watershed management as a system. Building on previous NCC studies on integrated watershed management (2004) and ecological compensation (2018 and 2019), as well as several CCICED studies of the Yangtze River, the 2023 joint report of China and The Netherlands, a CCICED event at the 2023 UN Water Summit, and other developments, this report focuses on identifying effective regional cooperation mechanisms in the increasingly urgent context of climate change impacts across the Yangtze River basin, from extreme flooding to drought. The report promotes the use of relevant research recommendations in China as well as globally.