Leading Chinese engineer/hydrologist Lu Qinkan and 52 senior engineers and academics submitted this second protest letter to China's leaders in June, 2000. This is the experts' response to the State Council's Three Gorges Construction Committee's reply to their March petition.

June 2000

To: Jiang Zemin, President of the People's Republic of China
Li Peng, Chairman of the National People's Congress
Zhu Rongji, Premier of the People's Republic of China
Li Ruihuan, Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC)

As for the two key problems with the Three Gorges dam project – resettlement and siltation – the 1992 National People's Congress resolution to maintain an initial water level of 156 metres is a cautious plan. However, we are deeply concerned that the dam builders will raise the Three Gorges reservoir level to 175 metres by 2009. Such a move would increase the resettlement burden and could produce a severe siltation problem at Chongqing port. This is our second petition urging the central government to respect the 1992 resolution. MORE