China's Water Grab

[Modbert]

China's Water Grab - By John Lee | Foreign Policy

It's clear that the United States is truly "back in Asia," as Clinton promised in January. But another, subtler regional push, one that's flown under the radar in Washington, has an even greater capacity to upset Beijing: America's interference in the Mekong River region. Clinton recently met with the foreign ministers of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam and pledged $187 million to support the Lower Mekong Initiative, which has the stated aim of improving education, health, infrastructure, and the environment in the region. It doesn't have the same firepower as military training exercises -- but privately, several Chinese Ministry of National Defense officials have told me that they believe this new, softer approach in the Mekong has the potential to achieve something that all the naval partnerships in the world cannot.

At the moment, water levels of the lower Mekong are at record lows, threatening the livelihood of an estimated 70 million people in the countries south of China, where subsistence agriculture supports a large majority of the population. These countries blame Beijing for damming up water to benefit Chinese citizens while people downstream are starving.

There is no conclusive proof that the Chinese dams and water policies are responsible for the low water levels downstream, but Beijing's refusal to allow extensive inspection of its activities in the Lancang -- as well as its disdainful attitude toward the smaller complainants -- hasn't reassured the smaller countries that they're being treated fairly. They fear a future in which their access to water will be controlled by China's Ministry of Water Resources.

Thoughts USMB?

 

[zzzz]

China's Water Grab - By John Lee | Foreign Policy

It's clear that the United States is truly "back in Asia," as Clinton promised in January. But another, subtler regional push, one that's flown under the radar in Washington, has an even greater capacity to upset Beijing: America's interference in the Mekong River region. Clinton recently met with the foreign ministers of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam and pledged $187 million to support the Lower Mekong Initiative, which has the stated aim of improving education, health, infrastructure, and the environment in the region. It doesn't have the same firepower as military training exercises -- but privately, several Chinese Ministry of National Defense officials have told me that they believe this new, softer approach in the Mekong has the potential to achieve something that all the naval partnerships in the world cannot.

At the moment, water levels of the lower Mekong are at record lows, threatening the livelihood of an estimated 70 million people in the countries south of China, where subsistence agriculture supports a large majority of the population. These countries blame Beijing for damming up water to benefit Chinese citizens while people downstream are starving.

There is no conclusive proof that the Chinese dams and water policies are responsible for the low water levels downstream, but Beijing's refusal to allow extensive inspection of its activities in the Lancang -- as well as its disdainful attitude toward the smaller complainants -- hasn't reassured the smaller countries that they're being treated fairly. They fear a future in which their access to water will be controlled by China's Ministry of Water Resources.

Thoughts USMB?

Water is the most important natural resource in the world. Everyone needs water and wars have been fought over water before. Yet that is not a possiblity here. China controls the water and the Southeast Asian countries that rely on rivers from China have to face the fact that China will continue take what they need and that need is growing all the time with the industrialization of China. Industries require electricity and water and with China's economy clipping along I do not see them doing much other than superficial gestures.

As to our involvment in SE Asia, it is miniscule, and though it probably rankles the Chinese some, they have much more presence ther than we have.

 

[Mini 14]

Thoughts USMB?

Fish, bicycle....who gives a fuck?

 

[martybegan]

bad situation when your primary water sources run through a country that can basically say "Fuck Off." Look at how fiesty the arguments out west can get over how the colarado gets allocated, and thats just between states in the same country.

The US is lucky that its main rivers all originate in its borders, makes things alot easier.

 

[uscitizen]

bad situation when your primary water sources run through a country that can basically say "Fuck Off." Look at how fiesty the arguments out west can get over how the colarado gets allocated, and thats just between states in the same country.

The US is lucky that its main rivers all originate in its borders, makes things alot easier.

yeah of course we pretty much suck the water all out before Mexico gets a shot at it?

 

[martybegan]

bad situation when your primary water sources run through a country that can basically say "Fuck Off." Look at how fiesty the arguments out west can get over how the colarado gets allocated, and thats just between states in the same country.

The US is lucky that its main rivers all originate in its borders, makes things alot easier.

yeah of course we pretty much suck the water all out before Mexico gets a shot at it?

Yes, but there are agreements for that as well, from a long time ago actually.

COLORADO RIVER CASE

 

[zzzz]

bad situation when your primary water sources run through a country that can basically say "Fuck Off." Look at how fiesty the arguments out west can get over how the colarado gets allocated, and thats just between states in the same country.

The US is lucky that its main rivers all originate in its borders, makes things alot easier.

yeah of course we pretty much suck the water all out before Mexico gets a shot at it?

Yes, but there are agreements for that as well, from a long time ago actually.

COLORADO RIVER CASE

But if the farmers need the water who are we going to give it to, our people or the Mexicans? Treaties, NAFTA, and other agreements are made to be broken eventually. The world turns and times change just like circumstances. The first order of buisiness for any country is to provide and protect the natural resources for their own use. China will provide for their own just like we will. That is the natural order of things. Power talks!

 

[editec]

The Han are a meance to other cultures in Asia.

Of course now that our MOTU have found a way to make a buck of them, we're pretending otherwise.