(TibetanReview.net, Jan06’25) –China has on Jan 6 responded to India’s raising of concern that its approval of a plan to build a super dam in Tibet on the Yarlung Tsangpo just before it enters India – where the river is known as the Brahmaputra – posed potential serious dangers to downstream countries, saying there was nothing to worry about.
Still, the real danger may arise from the fact that the dam is to be built on a highly earthquake prone area and from China’s exercise of strategic control over the flow of the river’s waters during moments of bilateral adversity.
China’s construction of a hydropower project on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo has undergone rigorous scientific assessment, China’s official globaltimes.cn Jan 6 cited the country’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun as saying. It will not negatively impact the ecological environment, geological conditions, or water resource rights of downstream countries.
In fact, to some extent, the project can contribute to disaster prevention and mitigation efforts and support climate change adaptation in downstream regions, Guo has maintained.
However, the geological and strategic concerns remain, which is one reason why US national security adviser Jake Sullivan’s visit to New Delhi over Jan 5-6 was anticipated to involve discussions with Indian counterparts about the impact of Chinese dams, according to a Reuters report Jan 5.
China calls the hydropower project a green one, aimed at promoting low-carbon development and a safe one that prioritizes ecological protection. Through extensive geological explorations and technical advancements, a robust foundation has been established for the scientific, secure, and high-quality implementation, said China’s official Xinhua news agency when reporting on the Chinese government’s grant of approval for the project’s construction in late Dec 2024.
The project is expected to enhance the local ecological and environmental monitoring network, and achieve area-wide protection through its development, thus promoting harmony between humanity and nature, said the Xinhua report.