The Nation
Senior Chinese and Thai officials brushed off claims yesterday that Chinese dams had dried up the Mekong River, saying China had only a small proportion of water flowing into Southeast Asia’s longest river.
Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Hu Zhengyue told Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva during a meeting at Government House that Chinese dams on the upper Mekong in Yunnan province made no significant impact on water flow into the lower part of the river, according to an official at the meeting.
Beijing and local administrators paid a lot of attention to drought within the region and China would not do anything to damage mutual interests with neighbouring countries in the Mekong, Hu was quoted as telling Abhisit.
The PM told Hu people living in the lower Mekong region were worried about the drought as they had no clear information about the dams in China. It would be useful if there was a forum for experts to share information, he said.
“China plays a significant role in regional development and I believe China does not want to see people in the lower Mekong basin in difficulties,” Abhisit was quoted as saying to Hu.
Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, who met Hu separately, said countries in the lower Mekong should not blame China for the drought since 35 per cent of the river’s water supply came from rain in Laos. The dams in China held only 4 per cent of total water in the Mekong, he said.
“We should not blame each other but should find ways to cooperate with China for water management of the Mekong,” Kasit told reporters.
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