More than 30 million people depend upon the Lancang-Mekong River for resources ranging from drinking water, to fish, transportation, hydroelectric power, and irrigation. As an upstream country, China should play an important role in the river basin development and governance. Dr. Li's lecture will identify Chinese water diplomacy strategy based on finding common interests among river basin countries and sharing interests through the establishment of new mechanisms for cooperative governance.
Zhifei Li, Ph.D, Associate Professor, National Institute of International Strategy, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), is a visiting scholar at the Elliott School's Sigur Center for Asia Studies. Her research focuses on China and trans boundary river issues.