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Updated: Mar 16, 2022 22.29 IST
Beijing [China]ANI, March 16, 2016: Indonesia’s operations by Chinese companies have created a danger for the country’s environment. They continue to exploit natural resource and disturb the ecological balance of the country, according to a media report.
The companies continue to cause havoc on biodiversity, despite not taking into account the fragile local environment. They have also threatened the fauna and flora of the surrounding area, as well as the indigenous population by causing their displacement, according to The Hong Kong Post.
Construction of the Batang Toru Hydro-Power Project worth USD 1.6 billion, under China’s
Sumatran Orangutans are critically endangered in Indonesia’s Sumatra Island, and have been threatened by the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Moreover, the Bank of China funded the project that was denied funding by the Asian Development Bank or International Finance Corporation due to environmental concerns.
Notably, the speech of Xi Jinping, Chinese President, emphasized the importance of open, green, and sustainable cooperation in making BRI development sustainable. It was delivered at the Boao Forum (April 2021) as part the Asia Annual Conference.
However, China’s double standards of sustainable development are obvious as Chinese activities while developing zinc mine in Northern Sumatra, the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Rail and the Probolinggo-Banyuwangi highway have been destroying the environment in the country, according to the media outlet.
Moreover, the PT Dairi Prima Mineral Project, (DPM), a project to mine zinc, has raised concerns among indigenous farmers over the likely rise in soil acidity due to sulphuric Acid, which is a byproduct of mining operations.
The Mineral project is not transparent or accountable. There are also questions about the Chinese company’s autonomy, according to the media outlet, earth.org.
The Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Rail project, which has led to forced evictions and flooding as well as the degradation of farmland, is the clearest example of Chinese insensitivity towards local concerns.
The Hong Kong Post reported that most Chinese-funded projects for Indonesia are dangerous to the environment because they continue disregarding the local population’s sensibilities in order to pursue their economic ambitions. (ANI)
