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ENVIRONMENT REPORT - October 11, 2002: China's Plan for Dams Called Threat to Mekong River
By Cynthia Kirk
This is the VOA Special English ENVIRONMENT REPORT.
Several southeast Asian countries are concerned about China’s plans to build dams along
the Mekong River. Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam share the lower area of the
Mekong. Environmental experts say Chinese dams threaten people, wildlife and water
systems on the river.
The Mekong River is the twelfth longest river in the world. It is four-thousand-eight-hundred
kilometers long. It flows through China, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.
More than sixty-million people depend on the Mekong for food, water and transportation. The
yearly1 periods of floods and dry conditions are important for the production of rice and
vegetables. The Mekong also supports many different kinds of fish.
But environmental activists2 say this system is threatened. During the past ten years, more than one-hundred large
dams have been proposed3 for the Mekong. Groups such as the Asian Development Bank have proposed these
dams. Some of these projects have already been built.
Environmental experts say one of the greatest threats is China’s plan to build eight dams along the upper
Mekong River. Two of these dams already have been completed. China began building the third dam in January.
China says these dams can produce power on the Mekong without harming the flow of the river system. It says
the dams will reduce flooding and water shortages4 in the countries in the lower part of the Mekong.
But environmental experts say the dams could increase flooding, harm the fishing industry, damage the
environment and block transportation links. Flooding on the Mekong has killed hundreds of people in the past
two years. That number is expected to rise as the water flow changes. Experts say the worst effects could happen
in Cambodia and Laos. These poor countries have become dependent5 on Chinese investment6 and aid.
Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam are part of the Mekong River Commission7, based in Phnom Penh. The
group manages development projects and protection of the Mekong River. China has refused to join the group.
The governments of the commission are said to be too fearful8 of China to make any public protest9 about its
development plans.
This VOA Special English ENVIRONMENT REPORT was written by Cynthia Kirk.
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1 yearly | |
adj.每年的,一年一度的;adv.一年一次地 | |
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2 activists | |
n.(政治活动的)积极分子,活动家( activist的名词复数 ) | |
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3 proposed | |
被提议的 | |
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4 shortages | |
n.不足( shortage的名词复数 );缺少;缺少量;不足额 | |
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5 dependent | |
adj.依靠的,依赖的,依赖他人生活者 | |
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6 investment | |
n.投资,投资额;(时间、精力等的)投入 | |
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7 commission | |
n.委托,授权,委员会,拥金,回扣,委任状 | |
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8 fearful | |
adj.惧怕的,担心的;可怕的,吓人的 | |
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9 protest | |
v.反对,抗议;宣称;n.抗议;宣称 | |
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