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BBC News Online: World: Asia-Pacific
Friday, 21 July, 2000, 11:34 GMT 12:34 UK
Three Gorges corruption scandal
By Beijing correspondent Adam Brookes
The Chinese Government says nearly 100 officials have been convicted
of corruption while working on the controversial Three Gorges Dam project.
Reports said 97 officials had been punished, including one who was
sentenced to death for embezzling more than $1m.
Local authorities in the city of Chongqing have also launched an
investigation into the use of funds intended to resettle people
affected by the dam.
The Three Gorges Dam project is the largest of its kind in the world.
It is a hugely-expensive endeavour to dam China's Yangtze river in
the name of hydro-electric power and flood-control.
The billions of state dollars that are being poured into it have made
it fertile ground for corruption and it now appears that the project
is infested with corruption.
Gambling
China's official news agency, Xinhua, mentioned the case of Hyang Faxiang,
a local government official who embezzled more than 15m yuan - that's
over $1m - investing much of it in a hotel.
Wang Sumei, an accountant, stole about $80,000 of money intended to
resettle local people from the areas that will be flooded when the dam
is completed. He reportedly used the money to gamble.
The list goes on and on. Government auditors have been quoted as saying
that, altogether, $52m in resettlement funds have gone missing.
The dam project is also being criticised outside and inside China for
the impact it will have on the environment.
Its design and construction standards have been questioned by experts
and some activists in Beijing have even questioned wether it will be
able to fulfil its stated purpose of flood-control.
But the dam is a prestige project and the Chinese Prime Minister
Zhu Ronghi has pledged that construction will go ahead as planned.
Related to this story:
China uncovers corruption rackets (21 Jan 00 | Asia-Pacific)
Chinese villagers dig up tombs (16 Jun 00 | Asia-Pacific)
China dam faces cash flow crisis (16 Mar 99 | Asia-Pacific)
Chinese dams damned (23 Mar 99 | Asia-Pacific)
Internet links: Yangtse river - Three Gorges Tour | Xinhua news agency
| Three Gorges Dam - International Rivers Network | China.com |
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