Abstract
The Mekong River has been a source of regional cooperation and conflict. It is a catalyst for cooperation among Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand, and Vietnam when they created the Mekong River Commission (MRC) to develop the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) in 1995. But, the Mekong is also a cause of conflict when a riparian country takes a unilateral approach to development, as in the case of mainstream dams constructed by China and Laos.
In addition to the Mekong River Commission, there are four major Mekong regional cooperation frameworks launched and supported by an international organization and three great powers to strengthen regional cooperation, bring economic growth, social change, and political stability in this region. The Greater Mekong Subregion was created by the Asian Development Bank in 1992; the Lower Mekong Initiative was formed by the United States in July 2009; the Mekong-Japan Summit was organized by Japan in November 2009; and the Lancang-Mekong River Cooperation Mechanism was led by China in March 2016.
The chapter is organized in four sections. The first section presents the MRC, its structure and its core programs. The second section analyzes the MRC effectiveness in reviewing the Mekong dam projects of Laos and in resolving disputes among the members regarding the dam impacts in the LMB. The third section describes the Mekong regional cooperation frameworks, their purposes and cooperation areas. The last section examines China’s role in Mekong regional cooperation for the sustainable development of water and rice in the region.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
ADB (2017) Greater Mekong Subregion, Overview. https://www.adb.org/countries/gms/overview
Asean News (April 28, 2016) China on the Lancang/Mekong: ‘We Share the Water, We Share the River’. http://www.aseannews.net/china-lancangmekong-share-water-share-river/
Bloomberg, Don Sahong Power Company Ltd Enters into Concession Agreement with the Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. http://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=113537932
Business and Human Rights Resource Center, Xayaburi Law Suit. https://business-humanrights.org/en/xayaburi-dam-lawsuit-re-laos-thailand
International Center for Environmental Management (ICEM) (October 2010) Strategic environmental assessment of hydropower on the Mekong mainstream, Final Report prepared for the MRC
International Rivers (June 18, 2009) Over sixteen thousand call on regional governments to save the Mekong. https://www.internationalrivers.org/resources/over-sixteen-thousand-call-on-regional-governments-to-save-the-mekong-7404
International Rivers (2016) Media Kit on the Don Sahong Dam. https://www.internationalrivers.org/resources/media-kit-on-the-don-sahong-dam-8103
Irin News (18 August 2008) Worst Mekong River flooding in 100 years. http://www.irinnews.org/news/2008/08/18
Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (November 7, 2009) Tokyo declaration of the First Meeting between the Heads of the Governments of Japan and the Mekong region countries. http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-paci/mekong/summit0911/declaration.html
Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (July 4, 2015) New Tokyo Strategy for Mekong-Japan Cooperation (MJC2015). http://www.mofa.go.jp/s_sa/sea1/page1e_000044.html
Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (September 7, 2016) Japan-Mekong Cooperation. http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-paci/mekong/cooperation.html
Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Mechanism (LMCM) (November 12, 2015) Inaugural meeting of Foreign Ministers. http://www.mfa.go.th/main/contents/files/media-center-20151117-123745-981913.pdf
Lower Mekong Initiative, United States State Department. http://www.state.gov/p/eap/mekong/
Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) (July 2009) Integrated sub-regional cooperation between the United States and the five Lower Mekong countries. https://vn.usembassy.gov/experts-meet-to-implement-the-lower-mekong-initiative-master-plan-of-action-2016-2020/
Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) (May 7, 2016) Environment and Water Pillar. http://www.lowermekong.org/pillar/environment-and-water/background-and-approach/environment-and-water-pillar
LMCM (March 24, 2016) Address by H.E. Li Keqiang at the First Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Leaders’s Meeting. http://www.chinesemission-vienna.at/eng/zgbd/t1350433.htm
LMCM (Mar 31, 2016) MRC welcomes the New Initiative for Regional Cooperation by six countries in the Mekong River Basin. http://www.mrcmekong.org/news-and-events/news/lancang-mekong-cooperation-mrc-welcomes-the-new-initiative-for-regional-cooperation-by-six-countries-in-the-mekong-river-basin/
LMCM (December 23–24, 2016) The second Lancang-Mekong cooperation foreign Ministers’ meeting convenes. http://www.china-un.org/eng/zgyw/t1427021.htm
LMCM Sanya Declaration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC. http://fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/zxxx_662805/t1350039.shtml
Mekong Regional Commission (MRC). http://www.mrcmekong.org/
MRC, News and Events (18 January 2016) Pham Tuan Phan of Viet Nam assumes post of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the Mekong River Commission Secretariat. http://www.mrcmekong.org/news-and-events/news/first-riparian-chief-executive-officer-assumes-his-office/
MRC (January, 2016) A new structure for the Secretariat and a leaner, more efficient MRC. http://www.mrcmekong.org/about-mrc/governance-and-organisational-structure
MRC (April 19, 2016) MRC Chief Executive Officer joins German Ambassador on visit to Xayaburi dam site. http://www.mrcmekong.org/news-and-events/events/mrc-chief-executive-officer-joins-german-ambassador-on-visit-to-xayaburi-dam-site/
MRC (November 2016) MRC Reaffirms role in Water Diplomacy. http://www.mrcmekong.org/news-and-events/events/mrc-reaffirms-its-role-as-a-platform-for-water-diplomacy-at-a-workshop/
MRC (2003a) Procedures for water use monitoring. http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Publications/policies/Procedures-Water-Use-Monitoring.pdf
MRC (2003b) Procedures for notification. Prior Consultation, and Agreement. http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Publications/policies/Procedures-Notification-Prior-Consultation-Agreement.pdf
MRC (2005) Guidelines on implementation of the procedures for notification. Prior Consultation, and Agreement. http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Publications/policies/Tech-Guidelines-PWUM.pdf
MRC (2006) Guidelines on Implementation of the Procedures for Water Use monitoring. http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Publications/policies/Guidelines-on-implementation-of-the-PNPCA.pdf
MRC (September 9, 2009) MRC’s role in agriculture and agricultural water management. Strategy paper
MRC (November 13–14, 2012) Symposium: Basin wide collaboration in the agriculture and irrigation subsectors towards the development and food security in the Lower Mekong Basin, Vientiane
MRC (2014, June) Agriculture and irrigation program. Irrigation for food security, poverty alleviation, and rural development in the LMB. http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Publications/basin-reports/AIP211-DFV1907CEdNSTLpj260914.pdf
MRC (December 2015) Development guidelines for hydropower impact mitigation and risk management in the Lower Mekong mainstream and tributaries, The ISH 0306 Study First Interim Report – Final
Nation (March 19, 2016) Water diplomacy by China offers drought relief. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Water-diplomacy-by-China-offers-drought-relief-30281969.html
Nation (March 20, 2016) Leaders of Mekong nations urged to consider environment at summit. http://www.asianews.network/content/leaders-mekong-nations-urged-consider-environment-summit-12123
Nation (March 23, 2016) China leaves little doubt who is master of the Mekong. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/aec/30282244
Nation (March 24, 2016) China should compensate victims of dams: Mekong river network. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/China-should-compensate-victims-of-dams-Mekong-Riv-30282344.html
Nikkei Asian Review (March 24, 2016) China-to-help-develop-Mekong-River-basin. http://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/International-Relations/
Straits Times (March 24, 2016) China woos Mekong states with loan pledges. http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/china-woos-mekong-states-with-loan-pledges
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) (May 2009) Fresh water under threat Southeast Asia
Vietnam (November 13, 2015) Deputy Prime Minister highlights importance of Mekong countries’ partnership. https://m.vietnambreakingnews.com/2015/11/deputy-pm-highlights-importance-of-mekong-countries-partnership/. (?LMCC)
Vietnam (March 24, 2016) Deputy Prime Minister stresses sustainable use of water resources in Mekong River. http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/government/152948/vn-deputy-pm-stresses-sustainable-use-of-water-resources-in-mekong-river.html (?LMCC)
Vietnamnet (February 14, 2016) Thailand diverts Mekong, Vietnam worries about rice production. http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/150975/thailand-diverts-mekong--vietnam-worries-about-rice-production.html
Vietnamnet (March 14, 2016) Is Vietnam’s position as second largest rice exporter threatened? http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/152130/is-vietnam-s-position-as-second-largest-rice-exporter-threatened-.html
Vietnamnet (August 2, 2016) Mekong water diversion projects threaten Vietnam. http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/environment/161261/mekong-water-diversion-projects-threaten-vietnam.html
VietnamNet (June 29, 2016) Chinese Manwan hydropower dam estimated to cut Mekong River sediment flows by more than 50%. National University of Singapore study. http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/environment/159577/international-reports-warn-about-disintegration-of-mekong-river-delta.html
VN Express International (August 21, 2016) Chinese dams a threat to Lower Mekong River. http://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/chinese-dams-a-threat-to-lower-mekong-river-3456038.html
World Bank (2011a, May) Water papers, resilience to climate change-induced challenges in the Mekong River Basin, the roles of the MRC. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/630751468330303325/Resilience-to-climate-change-induced-challenges-in-the-Mekong-river-basin-the-role-of-the-MRC
World Bank (2011b, May) Climate change on the Vietnam Mekong Delta: expected impacts and adaptations. http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/rome2007initiative/FAO_WB_TCIO_CC_Meeting_May_2011/TORUKO_1.PDF
Wikipedia (2014, December) List of major power stations in Yunnan, list of tallest dams in the world, list of the largest hydroelectric power stations by generating capacity, International Rivers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_major_power_stations_in_Yunnan
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Cosslett, T.L., Cosslett, P.D. (2018). Mekong Regional Cooperation and Development of Water and Rice Security. In: Sustainable Development of Rice and Water Resources in Mainland Southeast Asia and Mekong River Basin. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5613-0_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5613-0_6
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-10-5612-3
Online ISBN: 978-981-10-5613-0
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)