China begins construction of the world's largest hydropower dam

China has officially launched construction of what will become the world’s largest hydropower dam, a massive project located in the Tibet region that has sparked concern in both India and Bangladesh.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang presided over the groundbreaking ceremony last Saturday on the Tsangpo River, marking the official start of the controversial scheme.

The $167 billion project has drawn criticism for its potential impact on millions of people living downstream. While Beijing claims the dam will boost the local economy and contribute to environmental protection.

Once completed, the dam is expected to generate three times more power than China’s existing Three Gorges Dam, currently the largest of its kind in the world.

However, environmentalists and regional officials fear the project could alter the natural flow of the Tsangpo River, which is a crucial water source for parts of India and Bangladesh.

A 2020 report by the Australian think tank Lowy Institute warned that "control over these rivers [in the Tibetan Plateau] effectively gives China a chokehold on India’s economy."

(QG - Source: BBC - Picture : © Unsplash)