Luwei Ying and Xianlong Hou CE 397 – Transboundary waters The accomplishment and strategy in developing transboundary waters in China Background According to the data from some related water resources agencies, there are 263 transboundary rivers around the world. From which, Asia has 57; Africa has 59; Europe has 69; North America has 40 and Central and South America has 38. The transboundary rivers take up 60% of the global terrestrial freshwater resources. The picture below shows the major rivers in the world and most of them are belong to transboundary rivers. China is one of the countries that have plenty of transboundary rivers in the world. Generally, those countries are water resources rich, however, the situation turn out to be opposite when it comes to China. Based on some recent research, the north part of China would be the most serious water shortage area in the world in 2025. One of the efficient and effective way to solve the problem is to develop its’ rich transboundary water resources. China shares 40+ transboundary rivers with the neighboring countries. The major 15 transboundary rivers are shown below: Location Name Heilongji
ang Yalu River Length
Watershed Shared (km) Area(10km^2) Countries China, 5498 186 Mongolia 795 6 northeast China Tumen River Ussuri River Suifen River Russia, Irtysh pollution yield pollution Korea allocation of water manufacture water use and water resources protection allocation of water manufacture water use China, North 525 3 Korea, Russia 905 19 449 2 4248 164 China, Russia China, Russia Kazakhstan, Russia China Ili Water Resources' China's behavior China, North China, northwest Facing Problem 1236 1512 China, Kazakhstan Ulungur 821 4 resources China, Mongolia Laos, allocation of water Impoundment and power Thailand, resources generation China, India, allocation and usage of Impoundment and power Bangladesh water resources generation and yield pollution Vietnam China, environmental Impoundment and power Myanmar protection generation China, Myanmar, Lancang River 4909 81 Cambodia, Vietnam Yarlung Zangbo southwest Yuan China jiang Nu jiang Irrawadd
y Indus River Beicang River 2840 94 677 8 3240 33 2714 43 2900 117 109 1187 China, China, Myanmar China, India, Pakistan China, Vietnam The transboundary waters conflict happened between China and neighboring countries mainly because of transboundary water’s pollution and protection, allocation and development of transboundary water resources. The emergence and development of transboundary waters issue probably would have negative impact on the sound development of China’s neighboring relations. For example: The Kachin army conflicted with the Myanmar government army due to construction of the hydropower station by Chinese government; The Yarlung Zangbo River’s conflict between Chinese and Indian governments; The IrtySh River’s conflict between China and Kazakhstan for the reason of the construction of a canal. And there are so do many other examples of conflicts. In order to ending the existing conflict and prevent the potential conflict happening in the future, Chinese government has come up with some effective measures. Strategy 1. Explore the path of cooperation The geographical properties and water resources of transboundary rivers have formed a complex and interdependent network among those related countries in environment, economic, politic and regional security. Transboundary water resources essentially belong to the public goods. Every country could use and develop the very water resources on its own territory. At the same time, each of these countries should have the same obligation to protect the river and not to harm the neighbouring countries’ interests at all the time. Thus, cooperation is necessary for these conflict of interest countries. China and many other neighbouring countries have already realized the importance of cooperation in transboundary rivers. Since 2002, China has made cooperation with neighbouring countries in the area of monitoring and control, development and utilization of the transboundary river resources, information sharing and etc. 2. Rational distribution, strict supervision, vigorously develop the gas power plants, biomass power generation and other clean energy As of the end of 2010, China's thermal power still accounts for nearly 80 percent of the country's total generating capacity so do many other neighbouring countries. Thermal power generation would definitely have an negative impact on the environment protection because it will discharge toxic emission such as SO2、NOx and etc. Therefore, to develop and make good use of the transboundary rivers to generate power will be a win-­‐win game for both China and its’ neighbouring countries. For the reason that most of China’s neighbouring countries are the underdeveloped, Chinese government has made commitment to provide financial and technical support if necessary. 3. Build a negotiation and cooperation system for the transboundary rivers The system is showing as below: The main content of this system includes establishment of the conflict prevention and response mechanism and cooperative development and management mechanism. In the process of establishing of the conflict prevention and response mechanism, the first thing to do is to build an early warning mechanism in order to detect, identify and resolve the potential factors of instability and reduce the negative consequences of the emergence. Then, it is also important to establish an emergency mechanism in order to minimize the losses once an unexpected transboundary river crisis occurred. Finally, construct a responsibility mechanism to solve the political and economic crisis and to restore the normal relationship between the two countries. In the process of building the cooperative development and management mechanism, the first thing to do is to encourage the related countries to carry out scientific investigation. Due to the corresponding poor condition of the related countries, Chinese government would take initiative to create the funds and equipment conditions in order to help the neighbouring countries to make scientific investigation of the transboundary rivers’ water quality, quantity and flow variation. At the same time, construct an information sharing channel to make the related countries realize the situation of the development and utilization of the transboundary river and reduce their doubts and concerns of consequences. Then, based on the construction of scientific investigation and information sharing channels, Chinese and other corresponding countries would determine the mode and means of co-­‐management and development goals in order to make sure they understand the plan and the function of every move. Finally, through the negotiation management, joint development to achieve common benefit. Accomplishment Now, the transboundry water issues are being taken care well between China and surrounding countries. A series of agreements on protection or usage of transboundary rivers have been signed. Case one: Cooperation between Russia and China On November 13, 2005, Dual-­‐benzene plant in Jilin petrochemical company plant had explosion and the main pollution benzene and nitrobenzene about 100 tons released into Songhua River which is a transbounday river between Russia and China. It was a significant water pollution event and the pollution would influence the downstream of the river in Russia. China government took action at the first time to take care of this event, like provided activated carbon and drinking water to the Russia to ensure the residents not to be influence at the maximum extent. Then in December 2009, Russia and China got an agreement on the fish resource usage in the Transboundry River (Heilong River, Wusuli River). And in March 2010, the two countries got further agreement on the boundary waters management including pollution control, environment protection and water resource usage.etc. Case two: Cooperation between Kazakhstan and China There are 23 transboundary rivers between Kazakhstan and China, in the past decades; some conflicts have existed mainly about the water resource usage. In May 2005, the transboundary rivers expert committee was founded in Beijing in order to improve the cooperation on the water resource usage and begin to solve the problem on each transboundary river. In April 2011, two countries got tighter to start the construction of Hillgous river hydropower plant project and got an agreement of the eccentricity distribution. Case three: Cooperation with other countries First, China's Government has been trying to take the necessary measures to minimize possible effects of the project on the Yalu Zangbu River to the Indian and Bangladesh via negotiation. Second, China’s construction company is trying to avoid the conflict the issues about water resource in other countries. Conclusion Even though there has been several transboundary rivers’ conflict between China and some neighbouring countries, there are also many accomplishments. Based on the demands of China and related countries’ development, China would cooperate with the related countries to establish a set of cooperation and negotiation system including management, development, emergency prevention and enhance mutual security trust. Only in this way could make a peaceful and stable environment to develop and that would be a win-­‐win case for both sides. Discussion 1. Do you consider the ‘cooperation and negotiation system’ to be effective? Why? 2. Except the mentioned methods above, what else can you think of to be useful? 3. Do you think this kind of solution is also effective when it apply to another different country? Reference The transboundary rivers’ issue and China's peripheral security
iaps.cass.cn/upload/.../d20110314105636647.pdf
IWMI-­‐Water resources http://wiki.fcu.org.tw/index.php/Medna08:Chapter3-­‐Water_Resources Geopolitical Risks: Transboundary Rivers http://chinawaterrisk.org/resources/analysis-­‐reviews/geopolitical-­‐risks-­‐transboundary-­‐rivers/