Conflict And Cooperation Of The Mekong River Water Resources (1991-2010)

Water resources conflicts of trans-boundary river is an important non-traditional security issue in post-Cold War era. Six countries in Mekong river basin play a long-term interests game on flood control, irrigation, hydropower development, navigation, fishery, pollution prevention and ecological protection. Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and South Vietnam set up Mekong river basin water resources cooperation mechanisms in 1957, the mechanisms continue to expand since China and Myanmar participated in the organization after the Cold War. The evolution of international and regional pattern of power distribution, the involvement of international organizations and countries outside the region, the negotiation and compromise mechanism of "ASEAN Way" play a role in this process. However, current climate warming, sovereignty factors, the balance of interests and other factors are the challenges for this mechanism.