China dismisses Mekong dam criticism at regional meeting

Rachel O'brien Yahoo News 5 Apr 10;

HUA HIN, Thailand (AFP) – China rejected criticism Monday of its dams on the shrinking Mekong River, telling Southeast Asian leaders that it was not to blame for a regional drought affecting millions of people.

At a landmark meeting with the heads of four Southeast Asian nations, Beijing's Vice Foreign Minister Song Tao denied activists' criticism that the hydropower dams had exacerbated decades-low water levels downstream.

"Statistics show that the recent drought that hit the whole river basin is attributable to the extreme dry weather, and the water level decline of the Mekong River has nothing to do with the hydropower development," he said.

The leaders of Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam -- the member-states of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) -- convened in the Thai coastal town of Hua Hin to discuss management of the river, on which more than 60 million people rely.

China -- itself suffering the worst drought in a century in its southwest, with more than 24 million people short of drinking water -- attended the talks as a dialogue partner of the MRC, as did military-ruled Myanmar.

"China itself is also a victim of the present severe drought," Song told the summit, where the four MRC states signed a treaty pledging to prioritise tackling climate change and responding to drought.

The so-called "Mighty Mekong" has dropped to its lowest level in 50 years in northern Thailand and Laos, alarming communities who depend on the critical waterway for food, transport, drinking water and irrigation.

More than 60 million people rely in some way on the river, which is the world's largest inland fishery, producing an annual estimated catch of 3.9 million tonnes, according to the MRC.

The commission has warned that the health of the Mekong Basin and the river's eco-systems could be threatened by proposed dams and expanding populations.

The abnormally low levels have raised fears over already endangered species such as the Mekong giant catfish.

At the first summit in the commission's 15-year history, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva warned the Mekong "will not survive" without good management.

"The Mekong River is being threatened by serious problems arising from both the unsustainable use of water and the effects of climate change," he said, adding the meeting was "an important wake-up call."

The Chinese delegation arrived Sunday and met for bilateral talks with MRC countries seeking more information about the economic power's dams, seen by activists as being behind the current water shortage.

In a bid to end speculation about its river projects, China -- which has eight planned or existing dams on the mainstream river -- recently agreed to share data from two stations during this dry season.

During the talks, Beijing offered to release further information from its mainstream dams -- which was hailed as a "significant step forward" by the MRC Secretariat's chief, Jeremy Bird.

Abhisit for his part said he hoped China's cooperation would become "more regular" in the future.

Priorities laid out in the summit's declaration included identifying the opportunities and challenges of hydropower and other infrastructure development in the Mekong Basin, as well as improvements in information sharing.

Environmentalist Anond Snidvongs, director of the Southeast Asia START Regional Centre, which researches environmental change, called for the data also to be made available to the general public and scientific communities.

Thailand invoked a tough security law and deployed thousands of troops in Hua Hin to ensure protesters did not disrupt the summit, in light of mass anti-government "Red Shirt" rallies in Bangkok since mid-March.

China says dams not to blame for low Mekong levels
Ambika Ahuja, Reuters 5 Apr 10;

HUA HIN, Thailand (Reuters) - China on Monday denied that its dams were reducing water levels on the Mekong River and blamed problems along the river on unusually dry weather, but it also offered to share more data with its neighbors.

Leaders of Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos, badly hit by the Mekong's biggest drop in water levels in decades, met in the Thai coastal town of Hua Hin to discuss management of Southeast Asia's longest waterway. Some 65 million people depend on the river.

China sent vice foreign minister Song Tao to rebut criticism of the eight hydropower dams it has built or is building in its south.

"Statistics show the recent drought that hit the whole river basin is attributable to the extreme dry weather, and the water level decline of the Mekong River has nothing to do with the hydropower development," Song said in an official statement after the meeting.

The Mekong originates in the Tibetan plateau and flows 4,800 km (2,980 miles) through rice-rich areas of Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia before emptying into the South China Sea off Vietnam.

Song said southwestern China was suffering its worst drought in decades. Beijing says the drought has left about 18 million people and 11 million animals with insufficient drinking water and affects 4.3 million hectares (10.6 million acres) of crops.

Activists and environmentalists say China has not provided relevant data to assess the impact of the dams on water flows.

But Song said it had given rainy season data since 2003 and dry-season data from two hydrological stations since March in response to requests from its four downstream neighbors through the intergovernmental Mekong River Commission (MRC).

Environmental organizations in the lower Mekong basin, particularly in Thailand, have long accused China of a lack of transparency in water management policies.

In particular, they are demanding more detailed data from Xiaowan hydroelectric dam on the upper reaches of the Mekong. Xiaowan, China's second-largest hydroelectric station, began storing water in its reservoir last October.

Government officials in the four Mekong countries are more guarded in their comments, mindful of trade and investment flows.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva told reporters the dialogue with China had been positive, commending the powerful northern neighbor for cooperation and for providing data.

"The heart of effective management of the water is information sharing. I am optimistic it will become more systematic and more consistent. It will allow for more effective management of the river as well as building of trust," he said.

ONE STEP FORWARD

Activists said giving data was a step in the right direction.

"We need more and we need effective management of available data. But simply breaking that silence is progress for us after years of very little information on what's going on upstream," said Pianporn Deetes, spokeswoman for the Save the Mekong Coalition, an alliance of environmental groups.

But Pianporn said the water level problem could not be put down simply to drought and more cooperation was needed.

"If the dams don't contribute to the loss of water level, China should publicly release information on water level flows that goes back several decades, not just the latest."

Song said China had responded to the concerns of downstream countries, even at the expense of some hydropower projects.

To prevent any impact on fish migration, Beijing canceled one hydroelectric plant, the Mengsong, on the upper reaches, Song said, and it was planning to build a counter-regulation reservoir to prevent abnormal downstream fluctuations in water level.

(Editing by Alan Raybould and Ron Popeski)

Q+A: Is China to blame for the Mekong drying up?
Ambika Ahuja, Reuters 5 Apr 10;

HUA HIN, Thailand (Reuters) - Leaders of four countries hit by falling water levels in the Mekong river, Southeast Asia's longest waterway, meet on Monday with China, blamed by activists for squeezing the river with dams.

Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia have been affected by the Mekong's biggest drop in water levels in half a century.

Severe drought has played a part but conservationists say the problem has been exacerbated by hydropower dams, eight of which China has built or plans to build in its south.

The intergovernmental Mekong River Commission (MRC) was set up 15 years ago but the summit in the Thai resort town of Hua Hin is its most significant effort yet to tackle the crisis.

Beijing's vice foreign minister, Song Tao, is attending along with the prime ministers of Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam.

Here are some questions and answers about the crisis.

HOW BAD IS THE SITUATION ON THE MIGHTY MEKONG?

Originating in the Tibetan plateau and flowing through Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia before emptying some 4,800 km (2,980 miles) later into the South China Sea off Vietnam, the Mekong is the lifeblood for some 65 million people.

The upper reaches in China are called the Lancang River, accounting for about 44 percent of its total length.

Water levels in the upper Mekong in China are lower than they were even in 1993 after a serious regional drought in 1992. Thai officials found the lowest level in 50 years at one point last month near Thailand's border with Laos.

Most of southwest China has suffered drought since November, leaving about 18 million people and 11 million animals without enough drinking water and affecting 4.3 million hectares (10.63 million acres) of crops in Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan.

Tour boats and ferries came to a halt and cargo vessels have been stranded in Yunnan.

The crisis has also raised concern about falling fish stocks in one of the world's largest and most diverse inland fisheries.

In Thailand, the world's largest rice exporter, drought has destroyed tens of thousands of hectares of farmland and officials warned rice production may decline. In the delta in Vietnam, low fresh water levels are forcing salt intrusion, destroying land.

WHAT'S CAUSING THE DRAMATIC DROP IN WATER LEVELS?

China blamed the drop in water levels downstream on severe drought, which saw an early end to the 2009 wet season as well as unusually low rainfall during the monsoons due to El Nino.

But non-governmental organizations and villagers in the lower stream say dams in China are contributing to the problem and accuse China of failing to provide adequate hydrological data.

NGOs, activists and some scientists say China's dams cause big fluctuations in water levels in the Mekong, disturbing the ecosystem and disrupting breeding and migratory patterns.

Beijing rejects claims it is choking off the water supply, saying that existing reservoirs are small and that the operation of hydropower stations and use of water for agricultural purposes upstream have little effect on water volume downstream.

Beijing said the existing dams retain only 4 percent of water flowing to the Mekong river.

Jeremy Bird, head of the MRC, based in the Laos capital, Vientiane, -- as well as Thai and Cambodian officials -- agrees with the Chinese, saying there is so far "no indication that the existence of dams upstream has made the situation more extreme than the natural case."

WHAT IS CHINA DOING TO ADDRESS ITS CRITICS?

Going on a public relations offensive, China has started providing daily dry-season data -- water levels, flows, rainfall -- from hydro-meteorological stations in Yunnan since March 22. Officials say China is ready for more cooperation to manage the river's resources jointly and has extended an invitation for MRC countries to visit its hydropower stations.

Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya says dialogue with China has been positive and that Beijing has shown itself willing to provide necessary data to its southern neighbors.

In general, Southeast Asian officials remain extremely careful in their public statements, putting a positive spin on cooperation with their influential northern neighbor.

Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand rely heavily on China for investment and trade.

WHAT CAN BE EXPECTED AFTER THE SUMMIT?

High on the agenda is better management of the regional waterway and the rapid fluctuation in water levels, which reached the highest in 30 years in 2008, causing flooding in Laos and northern Thailand, before the dramatic drop this dry season.

As the Himalayan glaciers shrink and more dams in the upper reaches begin operations, scientists warn disputes over water may worsen. Smith Dharmasaroja, director of Thailand's Disaster Warning Foundation, warned of the risk of geopolitical conflict.

"We may see more conflicts over water, especially if China continues to operate in a manner which is not transparent. Drought is highlighting diplomatic tension and difficulty in sharing resources with a powerful neighbor and it will get worse over the years."

(Editing by Alan Raybould)