River of Discord: Amid Mekong Day’s Joy, Troubled Waters Flow Beneath the Surface
China approves funding for controversial Funan Techo Canal
Last week, the annual Mekong Day unfurled in a swirl of celebration and ceremony in Vientiane, Lao PDR, marking the anniversary of the 1995 Mekong Agreement—a diplomatic milestone that brought Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, and Vietnam together to form the Mekong River Commission (MRC). It was a day meant to reflect on decades of hard-won regional cooperation, applauding progress in managing the life-giving artery that is the Mekong River. From fishers to farmers, the river nourishes the livelihoods of over 60 million people, and this annual observance is usually an optimistic nod to unity, sustainability, and shared stewardship.
But this year, the festivities came with a bitter undertone. Dark clouds loomed—both figuratively and geopolitically—as China’s unrelenting upstream dam-building and its decision to bankroll Cambodia’s controversial $1.2 billion Funan Techo Canal raised serious concerns.
The proposed 94-mile canal connecting the Mekong River to the Gulf of Thailand has raised serious policy concerns over its potential to divert freshwater away from Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, a region vital to regional food security. Policymakers warn that the project could exacerbate existing challenges in the Delta, including saltwater intrusion and unstable river flow patterns, threatening agricultural productivity and livelihoods. Furthermore, MRC officials anxiously await for any details on the feasibility study report.
The move has sparked fears that China’s expanding footprint along the Mekong isn’t just engineering the river’s flow—it’s redrawing the balance of power in Southeast Asia’s most vital waterway. For many, Mekong Day was not just a celebration—it was a stark reminder of what’s at stake.
Although activists had hoped the 1995 Mekong Agreement would prevent dam construction on the river, the agreement was never designed to provide such authority. Additionally, China has refused to join the agreement, meaning its activities in Yunnan province, where the Mekong flows, remain unaffected and unrestricted by it.
Vietnam, which relies heavily on the Mekong Delta for rice production, fears that the canal could disrupt the river's natural flow, depriving the delta of essential nutrients and exacerbating issues like drought and salinity intrusion. Experts warn that the canal might act as a levee, redirecting water and creating a "dry zone" in southern Cambodia and Vietnam. The MRC has called for more detailed feasibility studies, but Cambodia has yet to provide comprehensive information. A Vietnamese analyst noted, "The canal could act like a dam, consequently resulting in the creation of a dry zone south of the canal and wet zones to its north." Reuters+1AP News+1AP NewsVietnam Briefing
The project's lack of transparency and potential displacement of thousands of Cambodians have further fueled tensions. Local communities along the canal's proposed route report insufficient information and inadequate compensation plans. One resident expressed anxiety over the project's progress, stating, "There is no information, and it is getting closer to when construction will start." While Cambodia asserts that the canal aligns with the 1995 Mekong Agreement, the MRC cautions that full compliance depends on its interaction with the Mekong mainstream.
As the Mekong Day celebrations concluded, the region was left grappling with the complex balance between development ambitions and environmental stewardship. The coming months will be critical in determining whether the Mekong's future will be shaped by cooperation or contention.