Rewards and risks of Chinese hydropower in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS)

Xishuangbanna presents one of eight China's Autonomous Prefectures in Yunnan Province and an important trans-Asian hub at the Myanmar-Laos borders. Apart from rich ethnic diversity and a well-preserved tropical ecosystem, it is also the only place from where China shares the actual hydrological water data with downstream countries on the Mekong River since November 2020. As a part of China’s water diplomacy, Xishuangbanna presents both a geostrategic instrument and a fountain of inspiration for non-traditional regional cooperation. In the presented study, we used the constructivist discourse analysis to re-interpret the “Lancang-Mekong Spirit”, a narrative emphasising the community of shared destiny, common interests and solidarity among Mekong countries. Data has been collected from the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation and Conflict Database, which records over 3000 water-related events in the Mekong River Basin between 1990 to 2023. While emphasizing the historical, geographic and political proximity with other Mekong countries positively facilitate China’s foreign policy image in Southeast Asia, the success of the China’s water diplomacy may be limited without accountable inclusion of Yunnan Province specifics. The findings can be replicable in other case studies on China’s non-traditional foreign policy strategies.

show abstract

scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.

Contact Info

customersupport@researchsolutions.com

10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614

Henderson, NV 89052, USA

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Blog Terms and Conditions API Terms Privacy Policy Contact Cookie Preferences Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

Made with 💙 for researchers

Part of the Research Solutions Family.

Rewards and risks of Chinese hydropower in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS)

Cited by 2 publications

References 0 publications

Lancang-Mekong Cooperation: Present and Future of the Mekong River Basin

Lancang-Mekong Cooperation: Present and Future of the Mekong River Basin

China's Water Diplomacy: Xishuangbanna Case Study

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About