China's Global Role

Civil Society Letter to Sinohydro to adopt Environmental Standards

Wednesday, February 18, 2009
In February 2009, international civil society groups sent this letter to Sinohydro urging the company to adopt international environmental standards and to engage in a dialogue with civil society. Sinohydro responded to this letter on April 29, 2009.

China Banking Association’s Corporate Social Responsibility Guidelines

Monday, January 12, 2009
In January 2009, the China Banking Association published its Corporate Social Responsibility Guidelines. The guidelines advocate for "independent on-site investigation and audit for the environmental impacts of financed projects, and make their judgments not solely based on clients' own environmental impact assessment report and data." The guidelines also encourage financial institutions to adopt "people-oriented principles" for their employees and to promote the social development of impacted communities. The guidelines refer to the Equator Principles, but fail to mention other specific inter

China Conquers Africa’s Hydropower Market

Tuesday, August 1, 2006
August 2006 World Rivers Review: Special Focus on Africa Companies from China, Germany, France and Sudan are currently building the Merowe Dam on the Nile in Northern Sudan. As the reservoir builds up behind the dam, 50,000 people are being displaced from the fertile Nile Valley to barren resettlement camps in the Nubian Desert. Tensions over displacement have flared up in repeated violent conflicts. A French company applied for export credits for the Merowe project from the French government, but was rejected because of serious concerns over human rights violations. The World Bank al

China Datang Eyes Africa as Domestic Power Use Wanes

Thursday, January 8, 2009
Originally published in Bloomberg China Datang Corp., the Chinese power producer with investments in Laos, Cambodia and Kazakhstan, plans to explore the African market as the global financial crisis slows domestic demand for electricity. China's second-biggest power producer signed an accord with the China-Africa Development Fund, initiated by President Hu Jintao in 2006, to help develop ``electricity and relevant industries'' on the continent, China Datang said in a statement on its Web site today. The parent of Hong Kong-listed Datang International Power Generation Co. gave no details. The

The Sleeping Dragon Awakes: China's Hydropower Developers in SE Asia

Saturday, November 1, 2008
Chinese hydropower developers and financiers have figured prominently in the renewed push for hydro development in the Mekong Region. This feature article published in the journal Watershed introduces the new hydropower proponents, describes the regional context that has seen warming relations between Chinese and the Mekong Region’s political and business elites, and discusses the implications of China’s growing role. Download the full article or the text-only version. Download the full edition of Watershed journal.

出口信贷机构与环境标准——请参加对话

Friday, December 1, 2006
日益重要的中国进出口银行 在中国,大约占世界五分之一的人口依靠仅仅占世界7%的耕地生活。这个国家的石油、木料和矿产资源储量也都上足以支撑其快速发展的经济。外国投资和贸易合作有助于保障中国获得其本土缺乏的资源。出口也有助于克朊因中国农村的迅速变化而导致的持久就业危机。[1] 按照其“开放”战略,中国于2001年加入了世界贸易组织(WTO)。此后,中国的对外贸易每年增长20%。并预期在2006年或2007年成为继美国之后的世界第

The New Great Walls: A Guide to China’s Overseas Dam Industry

Monday, November 26, 2012
Chinese dam builders have come to dominate the world market. Civil society groups have expressed concerns about the social and environmental impacts of numerous Chinese dams in Africa, Asia and Latin America. This NGO guide published by International Rivers presents the lessons of past experience and informs interested NGOs how they can best influence the projects and policies of Chinese dam builders and advocate for social and environmental interests.

Guidelines for Environmental and Social Impact Assessments of the China Export and Import Bank’s Loan Projects

In August 2007 China Export and Import Bank issued Guidelines for Environmental and Social Impact Assessments of the China Export and Import Bank’s (China EXIM Bank) Loan Projects. These guidelines are an improvement over the Bank's 2004 environmental policy, which was released to the public in April 2007. The guidelines specify that social and environmental impact assessment is required for overseas projects, and that borrowers must follow laws and regulations of the host country. The guidelines were developed in accordance with the China's Environmental Impact Assessment (

China Overseas Dams List

Salween River: Sinohydro is one of the developers for Hatgyi Dam in Burma.
Salween River: Sinohydro is one of the developers for Hatgyi Dam in Burma. International Rivers This spreadsheet lists dam projects with various types of Chinese involvement. It includes projects which are developed or funded by Chinese institutions, or for which Chinese companies have won major contracts. For some of the projects, only a memorandum of understanding has been signed. Others are currently being studied regarding their feasibility or are under construction. Yet others have already been completed. Download the spreadsheet (updated 10 November 2014)The spreadsheet is based on medi

China's Environmental Footprint in Africa

A new report written by your blogger discusses China’s environmental footprint in Africa. Are Chinese investors Africa's new colonizers? Are they simply following the mold of Western investment? Or does China's investment offer new opportunities of South-South cooperation? This is a hot topic, and my report has already triggered controversial reactions. Chinese companies are building large mines and hydropower plants, textile factories and cell phone networks throughout Africa. Their projects include 26 large dams (and counting). China’s environmental footprint in Africa has

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