Mekong River
Politics
Can Mekong stingrays tell the Chinese dam story well?
China is crafting "wonderful stories" about its upstream dams in the Mekong. But the overall thrust of the narrative glosses over the more controversial aspects of dam building. The cure to the dying Mekong must begin with clinical analysis and honest exchange among riparian states. ISEAS researcher Hoang Thi Ha says China's unilaterally imposed narratives are part of the problem, not the remedy.
Hoang Thi Ha
06 Oct 2022
Politics
Deepening US-Vietnam ties: Less geopolitics, more human security
Discussions about the bilateral relationship between Vietnam and the US typically centre on the geopolitical aspects. A more meaningful way of developing the relationship is actually in the field of human security.
Phan Xuan Dung
16 Sep 2021
Politics
American researcher: China's upstream dams threaten economy and security of Mekong region
China's 11 hydropower dams built on the upper Mekong River held back massive quantities of water over the last two years, causing crop failure and depleting fish catches, and threatening the livelihoods of the 60 million people living downstream. Besides, China has financed half of Laos' 60 dams on Mekong tributaries and two more on the mainstream, pushing Laos' debt levels to about US$17 billion in 2019, nearly equivalent to the country's annual GDP. Furthermore, other projects in Thailand have been cancelled out of concern that it would give Beijing too much strategic and economic influence deep into mainland Southeast Asia. American researcher Murray Hiebert explains the situation.
Murray Hiebert
01 Apr 2021
Politics
Role of Vietnam in Mekong: A middle power in another US-China geopolitical battleground
Hanoi is applying its South China Sea playbook to the Mekong. It is putting effort into enmeshing all stakeholders while carefully balancing relationships with major powers interested in the Mekong. What does this mean for Southeast Asia and the region's relationship with China and the US? RSIS graduate research assistant Phan Xuan Dung examines how Vietnam can make a difference.
Phan Xuan Dung
08 Mar 2021
Politics
Now more than ever, Southeast Asia values a firm American security presence
President-elect Joe Biden will restore a more traditional style of diplomacy to the US, but domestic considerations will weigh heavily on American foreign policy - and Washington's approach to Southeast Asia.
Joseph Chinyong Liow
27 Nov 2020
Politics
Chinese academics: Mekong must not become second South China Sea
China said that it would share year-round hydrological information of the upper Mekong with downstream countries during the recently concluded 3rd Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Leaders' Meeting held via video conference. Will this help assuage fears that China is using the control of water flow in the Mekong as a lever, literally, to exert greater influence on the CLMVT (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand) countries in ASEAN? Chinese academics Zhai Kun and Deng Han warn that China and Southeast Asian countries must be wary of external forces politicising matters in the Mekong region.
Zhai Kun, Deng Han
31 Aug 2020
Society
Major powers react to rising Chinese influence in Mekong
In recent years, the Mekong subregion has seen a renewed engagement of external powers, particularly the US, Japan, and South Korea, mainly due to the China factor. This re-enmeshment signifies an intense power competition in Southeast Asia, in light of China's increasing economic and political clout. Thai academic Pongphisoot Busbarat cautions that Southeast Asian states need to send a clear signal to external powers that increasing cooperation with them does not equate to choosing sides.
Pongphisoot Busbarat
31 Aug 2020
Society
Forest fires: Lancang-Mekong regional countries can work together to manage transboundary haze
With air quality in the Lancang-Mekong region entering the unhealthy range due to agricultural burning and causing air pollution in Chinese provinces, China academics Bi Shihong and Zhang Chengcen examine what countries in the Lancang-Mekong area can do to tackle transboundary haze.
Bi Shihong, Zhang Chengcen
08 Jun 2020
Politics
China-led Mekong project terminated as Thais protest: Participatory diplomacy in action?
Thailand has terminated a China-led project on the Mekong River, following resistance by locals and conservationists. ISEAS visiting fellow Supalak Ganjanakhundee explains how this will affect the future of the Mekong River.
Supalak Ganjanakhundee
07 May 2020
Society
The Mekong River's future and the role of China
The Mekong river is ecologically rich, and a source of life in more ways than one. However, its system is being threatened by the construction of dams by China. Independent scholar Milton Osborne examines the impact of human activity on the Mekong delta.
Milton Osborne
15 Jan 2020