2016年CRI Sino-Swiss Dam Safety Cooperation Boosts People-to-people Exchange

 

The program, called DaSEP for short, is one of the cooperation projects within the framework of a Memorandum¹ of Understanding signed between the Chinese and the Swiss governments in 2009.

Philippe Zahner is a counselor² with the Embassy of Switzerland in China.

"(Through the project) we would see how we can maintain the dams in China what we should be done. And another important thing for expert is surveillance, surveillance for the dam safety. It's something like China thinks it could learn from Switzerland. Therefore, the goal is to improve the management systems and guidelines which can be used on dam safety here in China."

China has thousands of small-and medium-sized dams, mainly in the southwest of the country. Those dams have played a significant role in irrigation and water conservancy, as well as flood and drought control.

However, most of these dams were built in the 1950s, and regular maintenance has been lacking.

In May 2008, a magnitude-8 earthquake hit Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province, causing severe damage to nearly 70 dams. Some of them collapsed³.

Switzerland, whose hydro power accounts for about 60 percent of its total power production, is experienced in terms of dam safety management.

DaSEP official Patrice Droz says the safety cooperation has two missions.

"One preliminary mission is sending the Chinese people to Switzerland, another one is sending the Swiss people to China. The objective of the two missions is that ask experts to give a good presentation of the dam system organizations in all aspects in both China and Switzerland."

Experts from the two countries have monitored and repaired the dams which were damaged by the Wenchuan earthquake.

Currently, those dams have basically returned to operation.

Wu Suhua, senior engineer of the Dam Safety Management Center of the Ministry⁴ of Water Resources, says DaSEP is a new attempt to promote people-to-people exchange between the two sides.

"We sent a number of specialists to Switzerland and study Swiss best practices based on their concept of Dam Safety. These specialists have become trainers after they come back. They can share their knowledge, experiences and safety concepts to domestic engineers. Meanwhile, through the DaSEP, we have also established good relationship with Swiss engineers. Experts from both countries have frequently organized workshops on dam safety enhancement. I believe that these moves are very helpful to our long-term cooperation."

DaSEP is expected to be fully⁵ completed by end of this year.

For CRI, I'm XYee.

1 memorandum   

n.备忘录，便笺

参考例句：

• The memorandum was dated 23 August,2008.备忘录上注明的日期是2008年8月23日。
• The Secretary notes down the date of the meeting in her memorandum book.秘书把会议日期都写在记事本上。

2 counselor   

n.顾问，法律顾问

参考例句：

• The counselor gave us some disinterested advice.顾问给了我们一些无私的忠告。
• Chinese commercial counselor's office in foreign countries.中国驻国外商务参赞处。

3 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

4 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

5 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。