By Jianli Yang & Peter Biar Ajak
September 22, 2020
Chinese mega-projects, both at home and abroad, are not only a vehicle for corruption. They are a deadly public hazard.
Over the past few weeks, several regions in southern, eastern, and central China have experienced torrential rains and large-scale flooding. Affected regions include Hubei province, where Wuhan (the epicenter of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic) is located. So far, more than 140 people have died and over 200,000 people have been displaced from towns, where the floods have damaged houses and other infrastructure. Overall, an estimated 37 million people have been affected by these floods. Economic losses arising from this are estimated to be around $3 billion and might rise further if the situation continues deteriorating.
These cities are located downstream from China’s many dams, several of which have been releasing floodwater as the rains have accumulated. Most of these cities have as a result experienced flooding and associated damage and disruption. These floods, the increased amounts of water currently being discharged from dams in China, and satellite imagery have raised recurring concerns regarding the structural stability of dams in China, especially the Three Gorges Dam (TGD), among other such infrastructures. [Continue Reading…]
Original Post: https://www.the-american-interest.com/2020/09/22/how-chinese-corruption-spreads-misery-abroad/