China says it spoke with neighbours on planned mega-dam’s impacts

BEIJING - China said it has talked with countries downstream about its new dam project in Tibet, a massive undertaking that will affect a key source of water for India and Bangladesh.

“China has carried out cooperation on hydrology reporting, flood prevention and disaster alleviation with relevant downstream countries and has had necessary communication with them,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun during a regular press conference on July 23. 

Chinese Premier Li Qiang on July 19

presided over a launch ceremony

for the 1.2 trillion yuan (S$213 billion) hydropower project, which is three times the size of the Three Gorges Dam, on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo river. 

The dam could become a

source of tension between China and India

, as the river runs through the state of Arunachal Pradesh in north-east India and feeds into the Brahmaputra River, which then flows into Bangladesh.

The project could boost China’s economic growth by almost 0.1 percentage point in the first year of its construction, Citigroup analysts said in a note on July 21.

Mr Guo also said that China will avoid sensitive natural areas, and make the utmost effort to preserve the original ecosystem in the area when constructing the dam. BLOOMBERG