Southeast Asia
From the Mekong River to the South China Sea, Stimson's Southeast Asia program seeks to examine some of the most pressing challenges facing the region today. Through a combination of our unique analytical perspective and cooperation with both local and regional partners, we strive to offer pragmatic approaches to a wide variety of issues. Currently, the program is active on four main issues: the Greater Mekong Subregion and its development, particularly with regard to hydroelectric power and its impacts; trade, economic, and political issues involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN); US-ASEAN relations and policy issues; and maritime security issues in the South China Sea, particularly territorial disputes and fishery management.
Research News
Mekong Turning Point: Shared River for a Shared Future
The political economy of the Mekong River Basin shifted in 2011 from policies that exploited this transboundary resource shared by China and five Southeast Asian countries, to potentially more cooperative and sustainable approaches. Whether the effects last remains to be seen, but for once "business as usual" in the construction of environmentally destructive hydropower dams
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Mekong Policy Project
Stimson's long-running Mekong Policy Project focuses on the transboundary aspects of the environmental, human security and regional political impacts of proposed hydropower dams on the Mekong River mainstream. Over the past several years we have engaged in a multi-venue program of interviews, workshops and speaking events, sharing our political economy perspective and
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Maritime Security
The program's maritime security research tracks, analyzes and provides informed insight on the maritime disputes of the South China Sea and rising tensions that characterize them, especially regarding fisheries, undersea oil and gas resources, regional relations and US policy issues. With an eye towards the possibility of cooperation and joint development, our work examines
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Contributions From Our Mekong Region Partners
Stimson's Southeast Asia Program is pleased to feature written contributions and videos produced by our regional civil society partner organizations and individuals. The following material presents different perspectives on a variety of important issues relating to security on the Mekong river, including dam construction, water scarcity, economic livelihood, and multilateral
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News and Views: Updates on Regional Issues
The nature of many of the issues that Stimson's Southeast Asia program researches are often subject to rapid change. Due to the combination of transboundary effects, the need for development, and divergent viewpoints, the course of many events can often turn in unexpected directions. To help address this issue, we will be posting summarizations and commentaries on important
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Infographics
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October 12, 2011
Interactive Mekong Map -
October 04, 2011
Interactive Myanmar Map
Videos
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April 19, 2012
Discussion and Report Launch: Mekong Turning Point -
August 31, 2011
Dr. Tom Cochrane and Dr. Thanapon Piman at Stimson -
August 22, 2011
Planet Forward speaks with Dr. Richard Cronin about the Mekong
