机制拥堵还是大国协调——区域外大国与湄公河地区开发合作

Participation of Major Countries in Mekong Basin Development Cooperation: Congestion or Coordination?

湄公河地区具有重要的战略地位和资源禀赋,使得该地区长期以来一直是大国利益角逐的战场。近年来,美国、日本、印度、澳大利亚、俄罗斯、欧盟等区域外大国和地区组织对湄公河地区开发合作的积极参与,使得大国利益在该地区交汇重叠,相互竞争、博弈的局面在该地区激烈上演,呈现出合作"机制拥堵"的局面。这已经远远超出了湄公河地区的现实需求,不仅保障力度不够,且各机制之间彼此牵制,反而妨碍了该地区开展更加深入的开发合作,这对于一个欠发达地区来说并非幸事。如何协调各大国在湄公河地区的战略利益与重大关切,真正考虑湄公河国家的利益诉求,并提供地区公共产品,维护该地区的持久和平,促进本地区繁荣,成为中国深化湄公河地区开发合作过程中需要考虑的重要因素。中国可加强与区域外大国的战略对话和协调,以政治互信促安全合作,以安全合作促地区稳定,从而减轻区域外大国的掣肘。同时,中国也要站在更高和长远的立场,进一步明确和细化在湄公河地区的战略目标,避免对抗,坚持良性竞争。

The Mekong Basin has long been a battlefield for major countries to compete for their interests due to its important strategic location and resource endowment.In recent years,as many outside major countries and regional organizations,such as the US,Japan,India,Australia,Russia and EU,actively participated in Mekong Basin development,the overlapping interests,fierce competition and game among them has resulted in an institutional congestion in this region.On the one hand,it has gone far beyond the practical needs of development;on the other,insufficient guarantee and mutually contradicting mechanisms in many aspects have hindered further development and cooperation,which was not a blessing for an underdeveloped region.Thus,how to coordinate the strategic interests and great concerns of the great powers,give due concern about the interests of countries in Mekong Basin,provide regional public goods,maintain enduring peace,and promote regional prosperity,would be key issues for China to deal with in promoting Mekong Basin development cooperation.To this end,China should strengthen strategic dialogue and coordination with the outside major countries,promote security cooperation by building up mutual political trust,and finally maintain regional stability,alleviating the negative influences by outside major countries.Meanwhile,China should also place itself at a higher and future-oriented standing point,and further clarify and specify its strategic objectives in Mekong Basin,in order to avoid confrontation and bring about benign competition among major countries.