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China with Lancang - Mekong… 45 China with Lancang - Mekong cooperation: current situation and prospects Do Tien Sam Prof. Dr., Institute of Chinese Studies, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences; Email: [email protected] Dinh Huu Thien PhD., Hanoi National University of Education, Ha Nam Branch. Received February 1, 2019; published June 25, 2019 Abstract: China is the upstream country of the Lancang - Mekong River which fl ows through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam before draining into the East Sea. Therefore, the cooperative attitude is shown by the Chinese has played an important role in sustainable exploitation and development of this river. This paper presents and analyses China’s guidelines and policies in Lancang-Mekong cooperation both at national and local levels, from which some preliminary remarks and assessments are drawn. Keywords: China, Lancang - Mekong River, International Cooperation I. Introduction II. China’s National Stance and Policy on Lancang - Mekong is an important river in Lancang - Mekong Cooperation Asia, originating from China’s Qinghai - In 2012, Thailand came up with the initiative Tibet Plateau. It is called Lancang River in of the Lancang - Mekong Sub-region China, while its downstream, running across cooperation, which was warmly welcomed Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, by China. China has started its role in the Vietnam, and fl owing into the East Sea, Lancang - Mekong Cooperation since 2014. is called Mekong River, measuring 4.909 At the 17th China - ASEAN Summit held in kilometres in length, covering an area of Myanmar’s Naypyidaw on 13th November 795.000 square kilometres. (http://vnmc. 2014, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang stated: gov.vn/neusdetail/101/luu-vuc-song-me- “For the promotion of ASEAN’s regional cong-tai-viet-nam.aspx). development, China expresses its positive China is the upstream country of the response towards Thailand’s initiative Lancang - Mekong River. Thus, the within 10+1 framework to discuss the cooperative attitude of China plays the establishment of Lancang - Mekong central role in sustainable exploitation and dialogue and cooperation mechanism” (Li development of this River. Keqiang, 2014). 46 Social Sciences Information Review, Vol.13, No.2, June, 2019 Since 2014, the Lancang - Mekong transport complex, consider opening Cooperation Framework has held three border economic zones, industrial zones, Leaders’ meetings, three working group investment zones, transport link, through meetings, and one Foreign Ministers’ which constantly improving the Lancang meeting (FNM). In November of 2015, at - Mekong infrastructure. Beside, China the fi rst FNM, all parties offi cially declared would establish a fund for preferential loans to launch Lancang - Mekong cooperation and 10 billion USD quota loans, including process, and agreed on cooperation in three 5 billion preferential loans for the buyers, key areas of political security, economy and 5 billion reserved to production capacity sustainable development, and humanity cooperation projects, etc. society. Third, on the implementation of the UN In particular, on 23rd March, 2016, China Agenda for Sustainable Goals, China proactively held the fi rst Lancang- Mekong would prioritise 200 million USD of the Cooperation Leader’s meeting in Sanya, South - South Cooperation Aid Fund to Hainan Province, under the theme of assist fi ve countries in fulfi lling the UN’s “Shared River, Shared Future”. In his 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Goals. At the speech, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang same time, a fund would be established affi rmed: “The Lancang - Mekong for the Lancang - Mekong Cooperation, Cooperation is an useful complement to within 5 years (2016-2021), to off er China - ASEAN cooperation framework, 300 million USD cooperation projects conducive to promoting socio - economic for small and medium enterprises of 6 development of the member States, countries. China sought, together with narrowing the development gap, and the Mekong countries, to establish the building a new version for China - ASEAN Environmental Cooperation Center and full-round cooperation. This is also a new Lancang - Mekong Water Resources practice of the South - South cooperation, Cooperation Center, etc., and strengthen demonstrating our fi rm determination to cooperation on prevention of trans-border work together to materialize the United transmitted diseases, etc. Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Fourth, fi ll the gap for people-to-people Goals.” Accordingly, Premier Li made four exchange. China desired, together with cooperation proposals (Li Keqiang, 2016), other Mekong countries, to set up diverse including: channels for people exchange in areas of First, together form a community of shared education, technological science, culture, destiny among the Lancang - Mekong tourism, youth, etc. For 3 years (2016- countries. 2019), China has off ered 18,000 government Second, strengthen connection and scholarships and received 5,000 people cooperation on production capacity, coming to China for training; meanwhile accordingly, China sought to align it has considered establishing Vocational development strategies of the other Training Centre for the Mekong countries. countries, expedite critical projects, In addition, China proposed to found the such as China - Laos, China - Thailand Integrated Law Enforcement and Security railways, China - Myanmar sea and land Cooperation of the Lancang - Mekong China with Lancang - Mekong… 47 River to set up joint law enforcement capacity cooperation in areas of railways, operations and employee training. highways, ports, airports, etc. also appeared After that meeting, the Lancang - Mekong promising. cooperation has gone full-fl edged with Third, strengthen cooperation in areas a number of projects completed and of agriculture. China does not pursue developed. On trade, China has become the protectionist policy and seeks to import biggest partner of Cambodia, Myanmar, more high quality agricultural products Thailand, and Vietnam, and the third biggest to meet diverse domestic consuming of Laos. Bilateral trade between China and demands. China would support domestic 5 Mekong countries reached 220 billion enterprises to partner up with the USD in 2017, increased by 16% compared Mekong countries to process agricultural to 2016. China’s foreign direct investment products, improve added value and into the 5 countries accumulated to 42 competitiveness, and together approach billion USD, 20% rise in 2017. Notably, a third party’s market. At the same time, after the fi rst Leaders’ meeting, fl ights from this country also seeks, together with the China to the 5 countries peaked at 330, with others, to delve in agricultural technical 30 million turnovers in 2017 (Li Keqiang, cooperation, establishment of agricultural 2018). technical laboratory, facilities for technical On 10th January, 2018, at the second experiment samples; agricultural quality Leaders’ meeting held in Phnom Penh standard, prevention of diseases, etc. (Cambodia), Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and founding of the Lancang - Mekong continued raising certain points as follow Agricultural Cooperation Centre to (Li Keqiang, 2018): establish the playground for technical First, eff ectively cooperate on water exchange, integrated research, agricultural resources. All parties should value investment and trade. sustainable development of water resources, Fourth, bolster human resources formulate “5-year Action Program on Water cooperation. In 2018, China off ered 2.000 Resources Cooperation”, promote the role short-termed and in-service fellowships, of the Water Resources Cooperation Centre, 100 four-year undergraduate scholarships, hold water resources cooperation forum, invited numerous senior and mid-level intensify policy dialogues, information cadres to participate in research courses exchange, technical assistance, and on agriculture, health, water resources, etc. create the playground on water resources China proposed an initiative to establish cooperation for shared contribution and the Lancang - Mekong integrated education shared benefi ts. working group on superstructure designs in Second, strengthen cooperation on bilateral education cooperation; assist the production capacity, such as water resources Mekong countries with the establishment infrastructure. China would support its of Lancang - Mekong Vocational Education enterprises in building a series of dams, Centre. reservoirs, and water and irrigation works Fifth, enhance health cooperation. Within in partnership with the Mekong countries the possible scope, China assists the other for mutual benefi ts. Beside, production countries with improving health services 48 Social Sciences Information Review, Vol.13, No.2, June, 2019 system, including construction of hospitals, was 1,788.112 billion CNY; exports and community health centres, etc. In 3 years imports value were 197.312 billion CNY, (2018-2020), China would carry out ranked 5th in the country (Kunminh Daily 100 health aid projects for the Mekong News, 28/01/2019). countries, etc. In particular, with its upstream advantages, In short, at the national level, albeit Yunnan has implemented the development China’s late participation in the Lancang strategy called “Prosperous Water, Fertile - Mekong cooperation framework, it is an Land”, which means taking advantages of active and proactive country to voice up upstream water resources for development. various initiatives covering issues of socio With the 1,216 kilometre long river - economic, culture, education,