The hydropower dam, in quake-prone Tibet, is set to be the world’s biggest. But China has said little about the project, which could affect nearby countries.

China has tried to reassure India over its plans for a mega dam in the Tibetan Plateau, which has prompted fears it will cause water shortages and damage the environment, by saying it will not try to benefit at the "expense of its neighbours".

China recently approved the construction of the world's largest dam on the Yarlung Zangbo River in Tibet's Medog County, near the border with India. The project, described as China's most ambitious, was officially announced in 2020.