冷戰結束後,國際環境愈趨和平發展,中國與東協也在新的國際環境下發展新的國際發展策略內涵,中國秉持著和平發展的外交原則,而東協也希望透過區域經濟整合與等距外交建構多極的世界體系,因此開啓了雙方新的合作方向。湄公河次區域合作就是雙方國際發展策略下的產物。中國與東協等國為了爭奪區域經濟發展的主導權,也都紛紛介入湄公河次區域的開發,而在面對各國強權在湄公河次區域的爭霸,中國也積極的透過建設基礎設施來達成與東協國家的互聯互通,使雙方產生互賴關係,中國希望藉此來達成經濟影響,進而擴及到政治層面的影響。
After the end of Cold War, China and ASEAN developed brand new international development strategies. China’s new principle of diplomacy is “peace and development”, and ASEAN hope to build a multipolar world system use “equidistant diplomacy” and regional economic integration. A new partnership opportunities, namely Greater Mekong Sub-region Program. Among outside powers successively join to Mekong River Basin to struggle the dominance about regional economic.However, China try hard to construct infrastructive in ASEAN inorder to achieve interdependence with ASEAN.