Sovereignty over hydro project reaffirmed

China reaffirmed on Wednesday that the construction of a hydropower project on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River falls entirely within its sovereign rights and will not have adverse effects on downstream regions.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun made the remarks in response to a media inquiry about concerns raised by India and Bangladesh regarding biodiversity issues and the potential impact of the project on the livelihoods of local communities.

Speaking at a daily news conference, Guo emphasized that the project aims to speed up the development of clean energy, significantly improve local living conditions, and proactively respond to climate change mitigation efforts.