The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre logged 679 charges of human rights abuse against Chinese companies operating abroad between 2013 and 2020. Among the key findeings were problems associated with lost livelihoods linked to a rail project in Laos were noted, the vast majority of the renewable energy complaints were related to hydropower projects, and Myanmar saw the most allegations of any country with 97.
Category: Region
Selected environmental stories from media outlets in the Mekong region and beyond.
Vietnam could, and should, replicate its solar success in electric mobility
Vietnam may be accelerating solar development and recently scrapped plans for 9.5 GW of coal-fired power in its 2026-30 Power Development Plan, but this promising effort to decarbonize on the supply side has somehow not been adequately replicated on the demand side.
Laos, Vietnam ink 14 new agreements, including for hydropower development
These include a Memorandum of Understanding on hydropower development on the Ma River in Huaphan province, agreement to buy electricity from the Nam Ou and Nam Ngum 4 dams, and other electricity purchasing and mining agreements.
US, Mekong states deepen cooperation under Mekong-US partnership
The US is a long-standing partner of Mekong countries in promoting peace and prosperity in the region. Our enduring partnership was on full display last week when the US and Cambodia co-chaired the second Mekong-US Partnership (MUSP) ministerial meeting – an important regional mechanism for addressing shared challenges and strengthening cooperation.
Myanmar receives funds from China for projects under LMC Special Fund
The 21 projects cover the areas of non-traditional security, human resources, vaccine production for animal diseases, culture, agriculture, natural disaster prevention, science and technology, environmental conservation, forestry, border trade, tourism and finance.
Fighting the spread of drug-resistant malaria with genetic surveillance in the GMS
A large collaborative project of in-depth genomic surveillance of malaria has identified and tracked drug resistant malaria parasites in the Greater Mekong Subregion*, helping inform public health decisions in Southeast Asia.
Left with fish too small to sell in Cambodia’s Mekong River Basin
How a China-Built Dam Destroyed an Ecosystem and Livelihoods.
MRC Secretariat CEO urges deeper engagement during Friends of the Mekong Ministerial Meeting
“I call for a deeper and stronger engagement from all our Friends,” Dr Hatda said. The MRC Secretariat became the newest member of the multinational Friends of the Mekong after being invited to join the group in March this year.
Laos’ China-funded belt and road railway: Thailand licks its lips, but fears for Luang Prabang’s World Heritage Site
Laos could struggle to repay Chinese debt; that only a fraction of the population will benefit; and that overtourism could threaten Luang Prabang’s world heritage status
Building a regional approach to energy security for BIMSTEC
As the gap in electricity supply and demand increases in the countries of BIMSTEC, trans-border cooperation can help diversify energy sources, reduce the average cost of supply, and meet peak demands.