Asean formalises Mekong involvement with water security dialogue, as China’s dams come under scrutiny

The inaugural meeting between the bloc and the Mekong River Commission has been hailed as a means of boosting protection of the vital waterway

Asean has not previously discussed issues relating to the river at the regional level, but its fluctuating water levels have put upstream Chinese dams in the spotlight

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More than 70 million people depend partly or entirely on the Mekong River as a source of income and as a source of life. Photo: Mekong River Commission

Published: 7:00am, 25 Aug 2021Updated: 3:00pm, 25 Aug 2021

The inaugural meeting on water security between Asean and the intergovernmental Mekong River Commission (MRC) last week has been hailed as a means of boosting protection of the vital waterway, amid claims that China’s activities have affected downstream communities that rely on the river.

Both sides agreed to cooperate on water-security challenges along the 4,350km Mekong, which starts in China – where it is known as the Lancang – and travels through Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar and Vietnam.

The involvement of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations in discussions concerning the Mekong basin comes as the United States steps up scrutiny of China’s 11 hydropower dams along the Lancang, making the issue part of the widening battleground between Washington and Beijing.

Phonepaseuth Phouliphanh, acting chairperson of the MRC joint committee for 2021 – of which Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam are members – said Asean could help the Mekong countries close the development gap by contributing technical and financial support to the sustainable development of the river and its resources.

Delegates at the meeting said cooperation could span water-resource planning, pollution management, and the establishment of an early forecasting system for water levels.

The participants also agreed that technology such as digitalisation and artificial intelligence-based advanced modelling tools should be used to help manage water-related risks such as floods and droughts.

Mak Sithirith, an independent researcher who has previously written on water security in the Mekong, said the China-led Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) forum represented Beijing’s growing influence and dominance in the region, while the “MRC is getting weaker”.