China has completed construction of the giant Three Gorges Dam wall, a milestone in the world's largest hydroelectricity project which is also designed to tame the flood-prone Yangtze River.
The project will not be fully operational for another year because turbines and other equipment still have to be installed.
The Chinese authorities say the dam will provide much needed electricity.
In contrast to the launch of the project in 1997, attended by both then-President Jiang Zemin and then-premier Li Peng, no top officials attended today's event.
One of the dam's main functions is to tame the Yangtze's floods, which have drowned countless thousands over the centuries.
Environmental impact highlighted
But the project, which has become a symbol of China's rising power and technological prowess, has been mired in controversy for its environmental impact and its effect on so many people in the region.
Many environmentalists say the dam's reservoir, which will reach a depth of 156 metres by October, will be tainted by sewage and industrial pollutants and that the creation of such a huge artificial body of water could have unforeseen ecological effects.
Critics also decry the social impact of forcing so many people to leave their homes, as well as corruption it is said kept some of the funds set aside for resettlement from getting to its intended recipients.
The entire project is set to be completed in 2009, when the reservoir will reach its full level and its 26 turbines will all come online.
