The severe damage to dams in a seismically active region highlights the fault-lines in Beijing's approach of prioritising energy production over ecological sustainability

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 is building the world's largest hydropower dam, the Motuo Hydropower Station, in Tibet near the Indian border. This project aims to meet clean energy goals and boost the economy but has sparked concerns over environmental risks,