Let the river run smoothly

Regional heart: The near-5,000km Mekong is South-East Asia’s longest and most important river with tens of millions in six countries, including China, depending on it daily. — AFP

AFTER the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) was established in 1967, Brunei joined in 1984. More than another decade later Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (the CLMV countries) also joined.

The older members had established themselves earlier in Asean, so most Asean issues concerned them more. However, half the membership share a common underrated feature: the Mekong River.