Cooperation and Conflict on the Mekong River Waters

The Mekong River can be characterized as a life-blood of Southeast Asia. It flows from the highlands of Tibet in China and through six countries to the South China Sea. The countries which are located in the Mekong River Basin are China, Myanmar, Thailand, Lao PDR, Cambodia and Vietnam. The Mekong River, which flows through mainland Southeast Asia towards the South China Sea, has a great importance for a large number of people and the countries which are located in the basin of the Mekong River.

China as the most upstream country in the Mekong River Basin has started to implement huge water development projects in order to generate hydroelectricity. There are assertions that those development plans can have adverse effects on the people of lower riparian countries which are dependent on the river and the tributaries for their living since the level of education, infrastructure and industrialization in the basin is very low.