In Search of Aluminum: China's Role in the Mekong Region

In Search of Aluminum takes a look at developments, decision-making and regional linkages in the highly dynamic mining sectors in Cambodia, Lao and Vietnam and shows how the Mekong region is becoming a strategic partner for China in terms of mineral investments. This study and policy brief on the status of bauxite exploration and mining in Cambodia, Lao and Vietnam are part of a research project entitled Understanding China as an Actor in the Mekong Region, jointly implemented by the Heinrich Böll Stiftung, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). Both papers builds on an earlier scoping study which provides an overview of investment, trade and aid flows from China to the three Mekong countries, with a particular focus on the agribusiness, hydropower and mining industries.