shows that with the joint efforts of all parties concerned, the LMC mechanism will have broad prospects for development.
3.6.Conclusion
The LMC is a young, regional cooperation mechanism that has been built around the core of the Lancang–Mekong River. The abundant products of this river benefit the peoples of the basin, but they are also one of the main causes of regional disputes. In the context of economic globalization and regional integration, it is the main tenet of the LMC to strengthen cooperation among the countries in this region, to develop the common benefits of the river for inhabitants, to promote the development of the regional economy, to improve people’s living standards, and to maintain peace and stability in the region. China is the main advocate of the LMC mechanism since the economic development, the peace, and stability of the Mekong sub-region are in line with China’s national interests. Therefore, China plays a positive role in this cooperation mechanism. Mr. Sundeep Waslekar, President of the Strategic Foresight Group, noted that China’s establishment of an international agreement on water cooperation in the Mekong region is encouraging and that it should be reflected in similar arrangements across Central Asia to prevent military conflict and environmental disasters when he spoke about the LMC. He also observed that China’s establishment of the cooperation mechanism can bring long-term peace and stability to this part of Asia (Waslekar, 2016).
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