Beijing is to start reclamation of the Liangma River shortly, which will allow cruise travel for tourists when it's completed and add 800,000 square meters of landscaping in Chaoyang district, authorities said on Monday.

Running from the city moat in the capital's northeast, the Liangma River flows past embassies and through public spaces and business areas, including Chaoyang Park, the Solana Lifestyle Shopping Park and Yansha Shopping City. Its total length is 9.3 kilometers; the upper river is a viewing channel while downstream is a drainage channel.

After the river's restoration, the water stream from Xindong Road to the Bogong Hotel, about 1.5 kilometers long, will be open for night cruises.

A running track will be built along the river and a digital lighting system will be set up for the waterfront landscape, according to the plan.

"The whole landscape includes five systems, involving water, city, landscape, culture and touring," said an official from the Water Affairs Bureau in Chaoyang district.

A design plan for the waterfront landscape was confirmed after collecting ideas worldwide to build the Liangma River and its surrounding areas into a world-class landscaped river. The plan has since been launched.

The design shows that part of the river channel will be widened so that all along the waterway a 50-year flood standard is set.

Automatic intelligent dispatch of rainwater and flood water will be carried out at the waterfront by establishing a reservoir on the river, authorities said.

By the end of the year, the Liangma River International Waterfront Area will be fully completed, authorities said.