China Kicks Off Controversial Mega-Dam Project in Tibet
The Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon in Nyingchi city, in China's western Tibet Autonomous Region.
Photographer: STR/AFP/Getty Images
Chinese Premier Li Qiang launched construction of a mega-dam project in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet on Saturday, with a total planned investment of 1.2 trillion yuan ($167 billion), according to the official Xinhua News Agency.
A new company called China Yajiang Group was also officially unveiled on Saturday. It will be responsible for constructing the hydro project, consisting of five cascade dams and located in the city of Nyingchi in the southeast of the autonomous region of Tibet, Xinhua said.