ABSTRACT
As part of China’s unprecedented attempt to exclusively strengthen its regional influence, the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) mechanism has been established following the irreversible nature of Beijing’s dam building on the Lancang/Mekong River. In contrast to Beijing’s similar practices of creating irreversible situations in other areas, such as the artificial islands in the South China Sea, mainland Southeast Asian countries accept the Chinese dams in the upstream Lancang River. Southeast Asian Mekong countries are also driven to participate in the LMC through water resource management, dam building, and other forms of cooperation. With Chinese leadership and funding, the LMC may gradually surpass other Mekong organisations. As such, the LMC would create some geopolitical impacts, such as isolating Vietnam, and dividing Southeast Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Even as the management of water resources keeps member states interested in the LMC, the bilateral cooperation projects funded by China would be the mainstay that increases the mechanism’s importance. However, several factors such as bilateral negotiations, execution, Beijing’s focus, and affordability would affect the success of the LMC projects. In addition, the geopolitical landscape in China’s other adjacent areas would not allow Beijing to replicate the establishment of a regional organisation similar to the LMC elsewhere.
