Vietnam’s Response to Controversial Mekong Projects in China, Laos, and Cambodia

Vietnam is anxious about the geostrategic implications of upstream Mekong projects in China, Laos, and Cambodia. It faces the dilemma of protecting its vital interests in the Mekong while maintaining stable and cooperative relations with its three neighbours. In dealing with this dilemma, Vietnam has used bilateral and multilateral channels to voice concerns, mitigate potential impacts, promote norms and rules for transboundary water management, and internationalise Mekong issues. However, Vietnam’s approach has failed to curb upstream exploitation, highlighting both the weaknesses of Mekong River governance and its own limited leverage over neighbouring countries. Vietnam needs to adopt a more proactive strategy, including assisting Laos’ and Cambodia’s transition to non-hydro renewables, strengthening regional governance frameworks, and acting as a good neighbour in its Mekong dam practices.