ISEAS Perspective 2025/29
Published: 16 April 2025
Author: Phan Xuan Dung
Maintaining good relations with China, Laos, and Cambodia is Vietnam’s top foreign policy priority. As land-based neighbours with deep historical and political bonds, these countries play a crucial role in Vietnam’s territorial integrity, economic prosperity, and regime security. Vietnam is also connected to these countries through the Mekong River, a lifeline for millions living in six riparian states (China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam). Former Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc once described the Mekong River as a “shared space of co-existence”, reflecting Vietnam’s desire for cooperative transboundary water management. However, in reality, the river has increasingly become a space of conflicting interests and competition.
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