The United States, China, and Geopolitics in the Mekong Region

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to elucidate great power politics in the Mekong region by exploring how China and the United States have committed to the development of Mekong countries and what characteristics are found in the commitments. The argument that this study advances is three-fold. First, China's pragmatic policies and close linkages with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have contributed to raising economic linkages and political leverage in the Mekong region. Second, the US commitments to Mekong development were characterized by advanced-nation-centered and ideal-oriented, which did not necessarily lead to strengthening political and economic linkages between the United States and Mekong countries. Third, while the US Mekong policies have gradually become more practical by paying attention to infrastructure development with strengthened linkages with ASEAN, the United States needs to advance policy harmonization with Japan and search for dialogue with China in pursuing combined objectives of governance and geopolitics.