Dam construction upstream of Yamuna: China claims - no one will be harmed

China has begun construction of the world's largest dam in a remote area of southern Tibet, which has already raised concerns in India and Bangladesh. The project is being built on the Yarlung Zangbo River, which flows as the Brahmaputra in India and the Jamuna in Bangladesh. However, dismissing these concerns, China has claimed that it is its 'completely internal decision' and that no country located downstream of the river will face any harm due to the project. On July 23, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a press conference, "This project will not cause any harm to any country in the low-lying areas." He added that if the project is built, it will play an important role in preventing and mitigating natural disasters, as well as contributing to the sound management of the river.

According to China, the highest environmental precautions are being taken in the construction of this project. Beijing has promised to keep the natural environment of the river basin as intact as possible, including not building the project in sensitive areas. The project will be built in five phases and will cost about 1.2 trillion yuan (about $167.8 billion). Once completed, it will be able to generate an estimated 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity a year, three times the capacity of the world's current largest dam, China's Three Gorges Dam.

Beijing says the mega project will strengthen its path to carbon neutrality. China wants to peak its carbon emissions by 2030 and become a completely carbon-neutral nation by 2060. Hydropower is seen as a key part of renewable energy to achieve this goal. China also says it has always acted responsibly in managing transboundary rivers and continues to exchange information and cooperation with downstream countries.

However, experts say the dam could have long-term impacts on South Asia's water resources, environment and geopolitical balance. The unilateral implementation of such projects upstream has been a cause for concern, especially for countries like India and Bangladesh, which are dependent on the Brahmaputra and Yamuna. Although China has assured that it will remain cooperative, questions remain about the long-term environmental and diplomatic impact of the project.