Abstract
Utilizing China's leadership projects in the Great Mekong Sub-Region (GMS) as a case study, this paper aims to investigate whether China qualifies as an international leader. This work argues that its geographic position and economic rise allow China to be a "system maker and privilege taker," which is a dual role forming in economic-political relations in the GMS in the last ten years. China is among major driving forces to set up an economic zone in GMS. Growing Chinese regional power is intimately related to the creation of various hubs connecting regional transportation, communication and energy systems that foster the economic development of this region. However, China also proves dark sides of rising powers which take advantage of their privileges to gain benefits. As a "system maker" with its own position and capability, China has notably benefited from building hydropower systems. More importantly, while China is pursuing its benefits and privileges, its hydropower projects have caused some negative effects for the ecosystem in the region. The inflation of dam constructions in both China and GMS countries is raising concerns about using natural resources of the Mekong River. Our concluding part addresses the pressing need to start a serious discussion on the balance between national interests and regional solidarity within the formulation of Chinese foreign policy in GMS.
Highlights
The rise of China changes the power structure of the world, and becomes one of the phenomena affecting global development in the 21st century in terms of economics, society, politics and strategy
Apart from statistics and indicators of economic development, foreign investment, military spending and activities to disseminate soft power made in China, the question that attracts a great deal of interest of researchers and political observers is about transformation of the Chinese power into political influence, as well as foundation of a new order centered China as a leader
While some argue about a “Chinese exceptionalism” breaking all the rules forecasted in international relations[1], some explain, based on Chinese norms and values, the attractiveness of its culture and society to hypothesize a China “bound to lead” which is similar to the role of “international leadership” used to associating with the USA in the 20th century[2]
Summary
The rise of China changes the power structure of the world, and becomes one of the phenomena affecting global development in the 21st century in terms of economics, society, politics and strategy. Having been operated from 1992 sponsored by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the GMS program is an initiative aiming to promote the development of the Mekong River Basin by fostering regional and market integration of six countries including China (Yunnan Province), Myanmar, Lao PDR, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Between system maker and privileges taker: the role of China in the Greater Mekong Sub-region or Thailand to build their hydropower.
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