Published : 2025-01-17
On January 17, 1992, the report on the construction of the Three Gorges Water Control Project was unanimously agreed in principle by the 95th executive meeting of the State Council of China, chaired by then-Premier Li Peng (李鵬).
On April 3 of the same year, the 5th session of the 7th National People's Congress (NPC) passed the resolution on the construction of the Three Gorges Dam Project by a vote of 1,767 in favour, 177 against, 664 abstentions and 25 not voting.
In addition, the construction of the Three Gorges Dam Project was included in the 10-year plan for national economic and social development.
The Three Gorges Dam Project adopted a method of "one-time development, one-time completion, phased water storage, continuous resettlement."
From 1993, when the resettlement of residents began, to 2005, more than 1.1 million people have left their homeland.
The Three Gorges Dam was completed in 2009, becoming the largest hydropower station in the world and the largest construction project in Chinese history.
It provides three major benefits: flood control, power generation, and navigation, with flood control being the most core benefit.
The storage capacity provided by the huge reservoir of the Three Gorges Hydropower Station enables the downstream Jingjiang River area to withstand a one-in-a-century mega flood, and also contributes to the management of Dongting Lake and the comprehensive repair of the embankments of the Jingjiang River
