In China the programs for developing the western region are carrying out successfully. Abundant hydropower potential, about 80% of the national total, is a superior resource in this region. The hydropower sustainable development is critical not only for providing safe and clean energy to meet the increasing demand for electricity to power economic progress of the country, but also for eradicating poverty in this region. Many dam sites with geology and topography suitable for high dam with excellent regulating reservoir but only a small amount of resettlement are in this region. However this region is also well known for its high seismicity and frequent occurrence. The seismic safety of large hydropower project with high dam is deeply concerned by our government and society. Therefore, an extensive research on seismic design of high dams has been carried out in recent years. A series of new conceptive progresses in seismic design of high dams have been initiated towards the new upsurge of hydropower construction in the 21st century in China. Technical perspectives, including advances in seismic research and design of high dams as well as in reservoir triggered seismicity around hydropower in this region are briefly introduced in this paper.