A mega-dam in Tibet must make ecological integrity and safety a priority, Chinese Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing said during a visit to the project.
The dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo will be the world’s largest hydropower facility and it is a key element of China’s plans to exploit the potential of the Tibetan Plateau by boosting regional growth through green energy and infrastructure.
India has frequently expressed concerns that the project could lead to water shortages and ecological damage downstream, where the river is a lifeline for millions of people – or even allow control of water resources to be weaponised.
Zhang stressed Beijing’s commitment to the project during his visit, saying it would be a “major landmark project of the new era”.
“We must prioritise quality and safety above all else, strictly implementing construction standards and ecological environmental protection requirements,” Zhang said, according to state news agency Xinhua.
“Every stage – from engineering design and construction organisation to material supply – must undergo rigorous quality control. We must ensure that construction progress is strictly subordinate to quality and safety.”
