By Shannon Tiezzi
Last week, a dam collapse inwards Laos’ Attapeu province caused a devastating flood. While the expiry count is all the same uncertain – inwards utilization because the Lao regime is keeping information nether tight wraps – reports dot that hundreds are missing. On the surface, the incident had nil to produce alongside China, Laos’ vecino to the north. Chinese companies were non involved inwards the projection inwards question, the Xepian Xe-Namnoy dam, in addition to China’s Foreign Ministry has said at that topographic point are no reports of Chinese casualties. However, China’s reply to the disaster is all the same of import – both for China’s ikon inwards Lao People's Democratic Republic in addition to the broader region, in addition to for the potential implications this disaster could select on Chinese projects. China wasted no fourth dimension getting involved inwards the relief efforts. In fact, a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) medical squad was already inwards Laos for a “humanitarian medical rescue articulation exercise” when the dam collapsed. According to Xinhua, the PLA sent a 32-person medical squad to the disaster site, becoming “the starting fourth dimension fully-equipped international rescue team” to arrive. Doctors on the rescue team told Xinhua that they were treating closed to 100 patients a day. The PLA likewise donated medical equipment in addition to “disease command in addition to prevention vehicles” to Lao People's Democratic Republic upon the closing of the exercise.
According to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Chinese regime likewise “provided much-needed humanitarian aids in addition to supplies to the Laos, including accuse boats, tents in addition to H2O clarifiers.”
Beijing provided the expected rhetorical back upwardly every bit well. “As a closed in addition to friendly vecino to the Laos, China is paying closed attending to the disaster relief efforts regarding the hydropower dam collapse inwards the Laos,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said on July 27. Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang, in addition to Foreign Minister Wang Yi all sent messages of condolences to their Lao counterparts.
China wants to endure seen every bit skillful neighbor, in addition to a fast in addition to generous reply to major disasters similar this is a skillful house to start. Beijing has been defendant of existence stingy alongside its contributions to past times relief efforts, specially inwards the Philippines later on Typhoon Haiyan inwards 2013. Observers blamed China’s ho-hum in addition to meager reply inwards that representative on tensions over maritime disputes.
China would select no argue to play politics past times withholding assist inwards this case. Lao People's Democratic Republic is oft listed every bit i of the Southeast Asian countries closest to Beijing. As a beau one-party, communist province at that topographic point is political affinity in addition to China’s economical say-so adds an extra layer of safety to the relationship. However, every bit Tom Fawthrop reported inwards the Apr number of The Diplomat Magazine, anti-Chinese persuasion is bubbling inwards Lao People's Democratic Republic due to feelings that heavy Chinese investment is turning parts of the province into a “province of China.” Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 strong – in addition to highly visible – endeavor to assist Lao People's Democratic Republic inwards the immediate aftermath of the disaster, in addition to long-term rebuilding, could assist Beijing milk shiver these ikon issues.
On a to a greater extent than practical note, though, China’s regime volition endure hoping to mitigate the impairment from the dam collapse for some other reason: Chinese companies select invested heavily inwards hydropower projects inwards Laos, where China is the top unusual investor. As mentioned above, Chinese companies were non involved inwards the the Xepian Xe-Namnoy dam, which was built past times a consortium of international investors from South Korea, Thailand, in addition to Laos. But China is i of the largest players inwards the Lao hydropower manufacture inwards full general (Thailand, which volition import much of the electricity from these dams, is another).
China is involved inwards roughly half of Laos’ hydropower projects, whether on the primary channel of the Mekong River or its tributaries. According to information from International Rivers, Chinese dam projects inwards Lao People's Democratic Republic include the $2.4 billion Pak Beng dam (to endure constructed past times China Datang Overseas Investment), a $2 billion seven-dam cascade on the Nam Ou River (under evolution past times Sinohydro Corporation), the Nam Khan iii hydropower projection (also past times Sinohydro), in addition to the Nam Beng dam (China Electrical Equipment Corporation).
The Xepian Xe-Namnoy dam collapse could throw the Lao government’s force to give-up the ghost Southeast Asia’s “battery” into question, jeopardizing these Chinese investments. The fallout for China could endure fifty-fifty larger if this tragedy causes other Southeast Asian governments to rethink their approach to hydropower. With that inwards mind, donations to assist the villages impacted past times this disaster recover are a pocket-size cost to pay to essay in addition to protect billions of dollars’ worth of Chinese hydropower investments inwards Lao People's Democratic Republic in addition to the percentage at large.
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