China debunks talk of building tunnel to divert Brahmaputra water

China has deemed talk of building a media report claiming that the country plans to build a 1000-km long tunnel to divert water from the Bhramaputra to the Xinjiang region as 'false and untrue'.

The report, published by the South China Morning Post, claimed that Chinese engineers are testing techniques to build a 1000-km long diversion in the Brahmaputra's waters to divert it to the parched Xinjiang region.

It said that the Yunnan tunnel would be a “rehearsal” of the new technology, engineering methods and equipment needed for the Tibet-Xinjiang tunnel, which would divert the Yarlung Tsangpo River in southern Tibet to the Taklimakan Desert in Xinjiang. Downstream, in India, the river becomes the Brahmaputra, which joins the Ganges in Bangladesh.

During a media briefing, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Hua Chunyung officially denied the claims, saying: "This is untrue. This is a false report", adding that China will continue to attach great importance to cross-border river cooperation.

India has already flagged concerns about China building dams on the Brahmaputra, which the country has played down.