US National security advisor to visit India and discuss Chinese dams
A senior U.S. government official confirmed late Friday that the visit of U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to New Delhi on Jan. 5-6 will include discussions with Indian counterparts regarding the impact of Chinese hydroelectric dams.
Washington and its Western Allies have long seen India as a counterweight to China's growing influence in Asia.
A senior U.S. government official stated that "we've seen in many places around the Indo-Pacific region that upstream dams created by the Chinese, including the Mekong Region, can have potentially damaging climate and environmental impacts on downstream nations," ahead of Sullivan’s visit.
Officials added that Washington would discuss New Delhi's concerns during the visit.
Indian officials say they have expressed their concerns to Beijing regarding China's plans to build a dam on the Yarlung Zangbo River, which flows into India. Chinese officials claim that hydropower projects will have no major impact on downstream water or the environment in Tibet.
Last month, the construction of this dam, the largest in the world, with an estimated annual capacity of 300 billion Kilowatt-hours, was approved.
The official from the United States said that Washington expects to discuss topics like civilian nuclear cooperation with China, artificial intelligence, space exploration, military licensing, and Chinese economic overcapacity during the visit.
Another U.S. official confirmed that American officials would not meet the Dalai Lama when they visit.
Washington and New Delhi built strong ties over the past few years, despite some differences on issues such as minority abuse in India and New Delhi's relationship with Russia in light of Moscow's invasion in Ukraine.
(source: Reuters)
