Since the concept of virtual water was put forward, it has been applied in some water-deficient countries or regions, such as the Middle East and South Africa. Virtual water strategy can be an effective tool to balance regional water shortage. The research on virtual water trade and virtual water strategy has become an international frontier research field. Virtual water strategy is especially useful for countries or regions with unbalanced economic development and inconsistent water resources distribution model and economic development model. Virtual water trade itself provides an alternative way of water supply for those areas with water shortage, and will not have adverse environmental consequences, which can better alleviate the pressure of local water shortage. For countries or regions participating in virtual water trade, it can also enhance the interdependence of food security in these countries or regions, reduce direct conflicts caused by water or food problems between countries or regions, and create lasting cooperative relations. When the food price in the world or region is lower than the production cost of the water-deficient area itself, the advantages of virtual water strategy are more obvious. Physical water trade between water-rich areas and water-deficient areas is usually very difficult because of the long transportation distance and high cost. Therefore, the virtual water strategy has been paid more and more attention by the governments and water resources management departments of water-deficient countries or regions, and has been applied in the strategic management of water resources. Virtual water strategy is very suitable as a practical strategic measure in arid and semi-arid areas, that is, to meet the water resources and food security in water-deficient areas through trade.

Literature [3] puts forward the countermeasures and suggestions for building a new global strategy of water resources security in China. To realize the water resources security in China, especially in arid areas, it is necessary to study and innovate the water resources management system and mechanism. Virtual water trade and virtual water strategy are of great significance to the construction of water resources security strategic system. There are many problems to be solved in the implementation of virtual water strategy. We should strengthen the research on the theory and method of virtual water, new water resources management system and mechanism, the relationship between the application of virtual water strategy and regional economic structure, and the regional policy system based on virtual water strategy.

There is a shortage of water resources in the north of China, especially in the northwest. Researchers have done a lot of research from the perspective of water resources carrying capacity, but systematic research from the perspective of ecological economics is rare. Using virtual water strategy, this paper studies the measures to alleviate regional water resources from the perspective of system analysis, studies the relationship between virtual water strategy and regional socio-economic development, strategic adjustment of industrial structure, food security, ecological environment construction and ecological environment security, and puts forward corresponding strategic countermeasures and policy suggestions, which undoubtedly breaks through traditional concepts and conventional thinking, and is a revolution to the national and regional water resources management system and water resources shortage solving mechanism.

The security of water resources is an important part of national security in the 2nd1century, and the shortage of water resources is one of the most important ecological environment and socio-economic problems faced by northwest and north China in the 2nd1century. Understanding the new concept of virtual water, studying virtual water trade, actively participating in global virtual water trade, and building a new global strategy for China's water resources security are of great strategic significance to China's national security and economic development in the 2 1 century.