China Presses Myanmar to Protect Dam-Building Firms
 China has called on Myanmar to maintain interests of Chinese firms, following a surprise suspension by Naypyidaw of a Chinese-built Myitsone dam project in Kachin state.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei called on the Myanmar government over the weekend to hold consultations over the suspended dam project and reminded Naypyidaw both countries had earlier agreed to get it done.
"The Chinese government is urging the Myanmar government to protect the legal and legitimate rights and interests of the Chinese companies," Hong said in a statement shown on the ministry's website.
Myanmar President Thein Sein's suspension of the 3.6 billion dollars dam, which has already been under construction, was announced last Friday in the wake of vehement opposition from environmental activists and ethnic groups in the northeastern state which shares border with southern China.
The Chinese were taken aback, after they had dumped billions of dollars in venture capital on the Myitsone dam project, besides mining and timber industry as well as oil and gas pipelines.
Involved in the dam project are China Power Investment Corp, China Gezhouba Group Corp and China Southern Power Grid Corp. Electricity will be generated from the hydropower dam and exported in large part to southern China.
Meanwhile, the State Department of the Untied States has welcomed as significant and positive the Myanmar government's decision to halt work on a controversial Myitsone Dam project in Kachin state.
The Myanmar president earlier announced the Chinese-built Myitsone dam had to be put on hold because "it is against the will of the people." Naypyidaw's surprise freeze to the 3.6 billion dollars dam project drew support from pro-democracy activists, including Nobel Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, and environmentalists.
US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland encouraged Naypyidaw to respect the interests of all of its people, including ethnic minorities and dissident groups, throughout the country.
"We hope that this kind of positive progress can continue," said the spokeswoman.
produced by VoiceTV |
