The Impact of Non-Material Factors on China’s Water Diplomacy in the Mekong Subregion: A Constructivist Approach

Abstract

In recent years, China’s water diplomacy strategy in the Mekong subregion has undergone notable shifts, particularly with the establishment of the Lancang–Mekong Cooperation mechanism. From the perspective of Constructivism, this article argues that China’s water diplomacy is shaped not only by material interests but also profoundly influenced by non-material factors such as nationalism, great-power identity, knowledge–technology, and norms. Employing qualitative methods and secondary-source analysis, the study clarifies the mechanisms through which these factors affect China’s perceptions and behavior in transboundary water cooperation. The findings indicate that: i) nationalism and great-power identity are ideational forces that directly influence how China defines its role and position in Mekong regional cooperation, thereby reinforcing a leadership-oriented foreign policy posture; ii) knowledge and technology function as instruments of non-material power; and iii) normative factors are strategically employed to adjust cooperation frameworks and shape the behavior of other states according to rules aligned with China’s interests and its understanding of regional order. The study contributes to explaining how China constructs and projects influence through water diplomacy amid intensifying regional power competition.