Hydropower sits at the heart of the water and energy nexus. It has played and will continue to play a critical role in enhancing both water and energy securities. Yet sustainable hydropower development remains a major common challenge for both the EU and China. Centred with hydropower development and operation, the motivation of the proposed action – Sustainable Hydropower Use and Integration in China and Europe (SHUI-ChE), is to explore the following major opportunity spaces to further develop and enhance China Europe collaboration on water policy, including i) green standards on hydropower – from regulation to practice; ii) operational schemes for optimizing the efficiency of small hydropower; iii) Pumped Storage Hydropower and comprehensive cost and benefit assessment; and iv) hydropower as an enabler for promoting regional energy integration and transition to the renewable energy system.