|
CHINA: Macau Chongqing to Yichang (via the Yangtze River) X'ian Beijing End of March Chongqing for us was the commencement point for river travel along the Yangtze River to the now completed Three Gorges Dam. We were able to secure berths on a comfortable cruise ship the "Century Sky" for a good rate as it was off tourist season. Prior departure we had a couple of days to explore the city.
It has a total land area of around 82,400 sq km which is about 20% bigger than Tasmania, and consists of 43 counties and prefectures. Chongqing is directly administered by the central government and was established as an autonomous municipality in order to strengthen the economy of south-western China and fully exploit the natural resources of the region. The area is also accommodates the thousands of people displaced by the construction of the controversial Three Gorges Dam in the neighboring province of Hubei. The city of Chongqing is the capital of the municipality and is the main centre of population, with an estimated 6,300,000 inhabitants in 2005. Located on a rocky peninsula at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jailing rivers, the city is a major inland port of China and the leading commercial, transport, and industrial centre of the country's south-west region. Chongqing is rich in mineral resources and iron-ore and coal deposits are mined. The fertile soils of the Yangzi valley make it an important agricultural region. Factories produce iron and steel, machinery, motor vehicles, cotton and silk textiles, chemicals, and processed foods. Major railways and trunk roads link Chongqing to all parts of the country. Chongqing has been settled for more than 4,000 years. In the 4th century bc it was absorbed by the Quinn dynasty into what would become the first unified Chinese state. After the outbreak of hostilities between China and Japan in 1937, Chongqing city became the capital of the Chinese Nationalist government, and it remained so until 1946. Although it suffered heavy damage from Japanese bombings, the city's population increased greatly, and industry also developed at a rapid pace during the war years. Since the 1950s the Chinese government has developed heavy industry in Chongqing. Three Gorges Dam, dam near Yichang, in Hubei Province, China, situated in the Xiling Gorge, on the Yangtze River. It is the world’s largest ever engineering project, the dam is 185 m high and around 1.6 km wide. The Three Gorges Reservoir is formed behind the dam by inundating an area of 632 sq km, including the Qutang and Wuxian gorges. The reservoir is 663 km in length and covers an area of 1,084 sq km. Hundreds of towns and villages in the Hubei and Sichuan provinces are affected, and an estimated 1.2 million people have been resettled to make way for the project. The budget for the project is in the region of US$25 billion. The project has proved highly controversial both within China and abroad. Although first suggested in 1919 by the Chinese leader Sun Yat-sen, work only began in 1993. Four years later the Yangzi was diverted, and the entire project was scheduled to be completed by 2009. Proponents argue that it will lead to benefits of substantially increased, environmentally friendly power generation, greater flood control, and improved navigation. It is the world’s largest hydro-power plant—26 turbine generator sets will produce an estimated overall capacity of 18.2 million kilowatts, supplying electricity to central and eastern China. However, critics have argued that the price will be high and the proposed rewards far from guaranteed. They point to the dangers of scale involved in such a huge project (some have even argued it could lead to seismic activity), environmental and cultural damage, disruption to such a large section of the local community, siltation, and the possibility that the dam alone will not be enough to resolve the flooding issues.
Our journey on the river took 3 days and 2 nights in considerable luxury, particularly as the vessel was configured for 380 guests and had only 80 for this trip. Two intermediate stops were made, the first at Feng Du, the attractions were the amazing Snowy Jade limestone caves and then the White Emperors City on a tributary to the Yangtze River. The second stop was by smaller boats along meandering and scenic waterways amoungst flooded and rural valleys. It was interesting to note the many new farmhouses probably built as a result of relocation from the rising waters. |
|
