China to let Indian experts monitor Brahmaputra in Tibet

[t_co]

China to let Indian experts monitor Brahmaputra in Tibet - The Hindu

China has for the first time formally agreed to allow Indian hydrological experts to conduct study tours in Tibet to monitor the flows on the upper reaches of the Brahmaputra, according to a new agreement signed here on Monday during the visit of Vice-President Hamid Ansari.

In a move to assuage India's concerns about the ongoing dam projects on the upper reaches of the river — known as the Yarlung Zangbo in Tibet — Beijing has formally agreed to allow India to "despatch hydrological experts" to conduct study tours "according to the principle of reciprocity".

China has in the past been sensitive about allowing access to Tibet, and Indian hydrological experts have, as yet, not been allowed to formally visit the region to monitor the river's flows.

In addition to the content in the article, readers should note that most of the approval, surveying, and planning work for Brahmaputra dams in Tibet have already been completed. This means that even if the Indian side raises protests based on what they see, they will have minimal recourse unless the issue is raised at a ministerial level, which naturally means that any Chinese yielding on damming the Brahmaputra will have to be accompanied by an Indian quid pro quo.

But, as China has not begun actual construction on any of these dams, then stopping or canceling construction will be easy. Ergo, the presence of these monitors actually gives China a cheap source of leverage over India.

Finally, if India decides to start raising a hue and cry once dam construction begins, China can simply respond by revoking the monitors' access to in-process dam sites and depriving them of real-time data to make any assertions.

A smart move.

 

[W.G.Ewald]

A smart move.

Chinese are as smart as Little Jack Horner.

Little Jack Horner
Sat in the corner,
Eating a Christmas pie;
He put in his thumb,
And pulled out a plum,
And said 'What a good boy am I!'

 

[Voldemort]

A welcome move!