The South China Sea is not the only waterway in South-east Asia over which the United States and China are engaged in a contest for influence. Less high profile but of great significance too to the region is the power play over the Mekong River.
The Mekong begins in the icy Tibetan highlands and runs for over 4,000km through China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam before emptying into the South China Sea. Its river basin is home to the largest inland fishery in the world and more than 60 million people depend on it for their livelihood.
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