Yunkang Liu
The Mekong subregion is a geoeconomic hub within ASEAN, comprising Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar. Its strategic location and abundant resources have enhanced its appeal to multinational corporations and great powers, situated at the intersection of major infrastructure development programs such as the Asian Development Bank’s Economic Corridor projects and China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
The region is covered by trade agreements such as the ASEAN Free Trade Area, the ASEAN Plus Free Trade Area framework and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. But action among major powers in the Mekong subregion has gradually shown signs of shifting from geopolitical manoeuvring to a geoeconomic battleground.
Historically, major powers have competed for influence in this strategic region to gain access to key resources, trade routes and geopolitical leverage. Among major players, Chinese, Japanese and South Korean companies have long been investors in the Mekong, underscoring the increasingly pivotal role of geoeconomics in shaping power dynamics in the Mekong.
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