Dam monitor could help Mekong countries put China on notice
The Mekong Dam Monitor (MDM), part-funded by the U.S. and which uses data from cloud-piercing satellites to track water levels in dams in China and other countries, was launched on December 14.
Dao Trong Tu, former deputy general secretary of the Vietnam National Mekong Committee, said downstream countries could use the MDM to discuss cooperation in water sharing with Beijing, seeking, for instance, release water at a time of drought in the basin or warnings in case of floods.
The monitor might help speed up discussions about collaboration between China and the four members of the Mekong River Commission (MRC), Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. Beijing is a dialogue partner of the MRC and takes regular part in meetings.
Viet Anh
