The Mekong River Emerging as a New Conflict Between the US and China

Steelwell U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary Claims China Manipulates Mekong River Flow
Mekong River Originates in Tibet and Passes Through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] The Mekong River water resource issue is expected to become a new conflict between China and the United States.

According to the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong on the 4th, David Stilwell, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, said the day before, "China is manipulating the flow of the Mekong River for its own benefit," adding, "This poses an urgent challenge to downstream countries."

Assistant Secretary Stilwell cited a recent report stating that China has seriously disrupted the natural flow by constructing and operating large-scale dams on the Mekong River, manipulating the water flow for 25 years.

He pointed out that droughts in the Mekong River have caused food and water crises.

The Mekong River, originating in Tibet, China (Chinese name: Lancang River), is a 4,350 km long river flowing through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam before emptying into the South China Sea.

The lower Mekong River is suffering from the worst drought. The river's water level has dropped to record lows for two consecutive years.

The U.S.-based water research and consulting firm, Eyes on Earth, pointed out in an April report that China has stored a massive amount of water in the upper Mekong, worsening drought conditions in downstream Southeast Asian countries. According to the report, 11 Chinese dams on the upper Mekong store 47 billion cubic meters of water.

These research findings support the claims of the five Mekong River basin countries?Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar?that Chinese dams have caused droughts in downstream areas.

In response, China released a report in July presenting the opposite claim. Tsinghua University and the Chinese Institute of Water Resources published a study stating that China's dams on the Mekong store water during the rainy season and release it during the dry season, thereby helping to alleviate droughts.

Assistant Secretary Stilwell expressed hope that ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries will raise a strong collective voice to protect their interests. Some of these countries are also in conflict with China over the South China Sea.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.