China has successfully dammed the main course of the Yangtze for the Three Gorges Project on November 8, 1997. President Jiang Zemin made a speech at the ceremony to mark the success of the river-damming. The full text of the speech is as follows:

Comrades and Friends,

Today, the world-renowned Three Gorges Water Conservation Project (TGP) has successfully completed the damming of the main course of the Yangtze River. This is a major event in China's efforts to achieve modernization and also a remarkable feat in the history of the mankind to reshape the nature and exploit natural resources.

This success will greatly inspire our people of all ethnic groups who are now engaged in reform, opening-up and modernization drive with full confidence.

On behalf of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, I would like to extend our warm congratulations and cordial greetings to the builders, the scientific and technical personnel of the project as well as the cadres and masses of people in the reservoir area, and express our sincere gratitude to people of all ethnic groups in the country who have supported the project and to our compatriots in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), Macao and Taiwan, overseas Chinese and international friends who have cared for the project.

Seventy years ago, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, the great forerunner of China's democratic revolution, raised the idea of exploiting the water and hydro-electric resources of the Three Gorges. After the founding of New China, Comrade Mao Zedong, Comrade Deng Xiaoping and other proletarian revolutionaries gave a great deal of their time and thought to the proposed Three Gorges Project. Several generations of Chinese scientists have put in an enormous amount of hard intellectual work. The rapid economic d velopment and markedly increased overall national strength of our country since the initiation of its reform and opening-up have provided adequate conditions for the building of this unprecedented cross-century project. The age-old dream of the Chinese people to develop and utilize the resources of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River has come closer to becoming true. This proves vividly once again that socialism is superior in being capable of concentrating resources to do big jobs.

Since the twilight of history, the Chinese nation has been engaged in the great feat of conquering, developing and exploiting the nature. The legends of the mythic bird Jingwei determined to fill the sea with small pebbles and the Foolish Old Man resolved to remove the mountains standing in his way and the tale of the Great Yu who harnessed the great floods are just some of the examples of the ancient Chinese people's indomitable spirit in successfully conquering the nature. Such ancient water conservation projects as the Dujiangyan completed over 2,000 years ago and the Grand Canal built in the Sui Dynasty all played an important role in the socio-economic development of their respective time period. The water conservancy and hydro-power project we are building today on the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River, the scale and overall benefits of which have no parallel in the world, will greatly promote the development of our national economy, and prove to be a lasting exploit in the service of the present and future generations. It also embodies the great industrious and dauntless spirit of the Chinese nation and displays the daring vision of the Chinese people for new horizons and better future in the course of their reform and opening-up.

The successful damming of the river marks the completion of the first phase of the TGP and the beginning of its second phase. All participating units in the project must strengthen management in real earnest, ensure good quality of work and continue to do a good job in tackling key scientific problems and conducting experiments so as to ensure power generation by the first group of generators in 2003.

Throughout the construction of the TGP, we should act in accordance with the law governing socialist market economy while giving full play to the socialist spirit of unity and coordination. We should uphold the principle of self-reliance and taking the initiative in our own hands while actively carrying out international cooperation and exchanges. We should bring the initiatives of those foreign-funded enterprises into play and make use of their advantages in capital and technology while fully tapping the advantages and potentials of our own enterprises so that they will make greater contributions to the project and enhance the level of their development up to a new high.

A successful resettlement of the people affected by the TGP is the key to the progress and eventual success of the project. The work, which involves the interests of one million people, is both arduous and meticulous. Party committees and governments at all levels in the TGP-affected areas should summarize the good experience already achieved and constantly do a good job in this regard.

It is imperative to adhere to the policy of development-oriented resettlement of the people, redouble our efforts to afforest the reservoir area and especially the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, take comprehensive measures to constantly improve ecological environment and prevent soil erosion, for it is an important precondition for ensuring lasting peace and political stability as well as a sustainable development of the reservoir area and the entire Yangtze River Valley.

As it is a matter that benefits not only the current generation but our posterity, we should spare no effort year in and year out and allow no negligence or delay at any time.

In short, we should take into consideration the overall situation and a long-term perspective, formulate plans on a scientific basis and adopt practical and effective measures to achieve a coordinated economic, social and ecological development.

The Yangtze River Valley is one of the cradles of the Chinese civilization and the reservoir area is dotted with sites of rich and colorful cultural heritage. We should be very careful to protect the historical relics in this area in accordance with the policy of "focusing on the protection and excavation of key cultural relics".

Leading cadres at all levels involved in the TGP or working in the reservoir area should carry forward the spirit of utter devotion and integrity, lead the masses of people in dauntless struggles and forge ahead so as to turn the TGP into a first-class project of water conservation and power generation in the world while bringing forth a contingent of new talents in this field.

Comrades,

Doing a good job in building the Three Gorges Project is an important mission history has entrusted on us and also our highest honor. Let us, guided by the spirit of the Party's 15th National Congress and holding high the great banner of Deng Xiaoping Theory, work hard in unity and make fresh and greater contributions to the construction of the Three Gorges Project, the socialist modernization program and the realization of the great cause of national rejuvenation.