Construction of the vast Xiaowan dam is expected to begin next year. Thai and Chinese companies are planning another big dam at Jinghong to generate electricity for sale to both countries. Chinese officials respond to criticism of the Three Gorges and the Mekong projects by saying the dams will improve safety by managing the water flow in times of flood and drought. But the report says that China should agree to a full study of the effects of the entire project before building starts on the Xiaowan dam. China is likely to regard such observations as interference in its internal affairs.
Chinese influence is strongest in the impoverished and landlocked nation of Laos.
Ravaged by the wars that engulfed Indochina, this tranquil Buddhist country of just 5.5m people is under the rule of a secretive Communist party that is seeking any means to boost the economy and stay in power. In Cambodia, Hun Sen, the ruling strongman, has eagerly courted the Chinese as he grows increasingly impatient with western aid donors and their endless questions about human rights and environmental concerns. He is not likely to annoy Beijing over the issue of dams. The Voice Of Cambodia. All rights reserved.