Mekong agreement and its implications for China

Abstract

This thesis concerns itself with the Mekong Agreement and its implications for China. After the introduction of the Mekong hydropolitics it focuses on an analysis of the international law and China's state practice, aimed at identifying the rules of customary international law in the utilization and protection of international watercourses. China's attitude towards them is explored with evidence from statements made for the UN Watercourse Convention, China's treaty practice in other transboundary waters and China's stand in the international environmental law relating to the transboundary damages. It then scrutinizes the Mekong Agreement with reference to the UN Watercourses Convention in terms of the scope, substantive and procedural rules, institutional mechanisms and dispute settlement. The strengths and weaknesses of the Mekong Agreement will also be highlighted. With specific reference to the issues in the Mekong River Basin, the thesis examines the rights and obligations of China with in relation to substantive and procedural obligations mechanisms for cooperation and dispute settlement provided in the UN Watercourses Convention and the Mekong Agreement....

Date of Award	2005
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Dundee
Supervisor	Patricia Wouters (Supervisor)