Rising Strategic Competition Between the United States and China in Mekong River Subregion

Abstract

In recent years, the Mekong River Subregion has become central to the strategies of major global powers due to a series of economic and geopolitical factors. The growing importance of the Mekong Subregion in global dynamics spurred several actors to develop specific strategies. While the United States (US) created regional fora for policy discussions as well as development funds, China increased its presence by offering loans, constructing infrastructures and creating a specific regional institution. Due to the rising strategic competition by powers, so that, Mekong River Subregion is now at the crossroads of great power competition, especially the strategic competition between the US and China in the Indo-Pacific region. The US - China strategic competition in the Mekong Subregion differs from the maritime Southeast Asia regions, especially in the South China Sea, in this region, the competition is between China which has almost won the foothold in the region, and the United States, which is trying to find ways to increase engagement in the region to find a place for itself. This scenario would be detrimental for Mekong River Subregion countries. The countries in the Mekong River Subregion pursue the “hedging strategy” to respond to the growing competition between the US and China, in order to manage the regional order. In pursuing such a strategy, the countries in the region look to other external powers such as Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, Russia and the European Union (EU) not only for pursuit of security cooperation but also for a deeper economic involvement. However, the “hedging strategy” through economic cohesion gives the impression that the smaller powers in Southeast Asia are actively chasing the larger powers for funding and privileges. The effectiveness of such a cohesive strategy largely depends on how larger powers allow things to happen. Given that situation, this article seeks to explain and analyze the rising strategic competition between the US and China in Mekong River Subregion, and whether and how the Mekong River Subregion countries responses to this situation in detail.