South-south cooperation across the Mekong: Practices, dilemmas, and pathways of competitive regionalism

In recent years, intensifying global strategic competition has given rise to what is prominently characterized as ?competitive regionalism.? Under this framework, the present article shifts the focal point from great power rivalry to the South-South Cooperation dynamics through a comparative analysis of Chinese and Indian engagement in the Mekong River Basin. The article offers a comparative overview of how the two countries? regional initiatives embody divergent development visions: China advanced a state-centric, infrastructure-driven pathway, while India emphasizes soft cooperation and humanistic connectivity. Aiming to show how the pursuit of power balance and institutional cooperation intertwine within mainland Southeast Asia, the author inquires into how the institutional and governance practices of emerging Asian powers (along with their development resource distribution patterns) reshape the traditional principles of South-South Cooperation, especially mutual benefit and solidarity with the Mekong countries. Likewise, to what extent does the interplay between Chinese Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) and Indian Mekong-Ganga Cooperation Initiative (MGCI) contribute to the evolution of competitive regionalism in the sub-region? A more specific focus is placed on examining how regional states, especially regional powers, employ self-initiated institutional mechanisms as instruments of strategic competition. Research conclusions point out that Chinese and Indian competitive engagements yield critical insights for the paradigm of emerging power ?co-competition,? Global South regional governance, and embedding South-South Cooperation within the evolving world order.