From a conflict to cooperation: Russian-Chinese relations in the field of water resources management

Throughout the world, there are over 250 transboundary lake and river basins, which cover territories of 145 countries. Problems of the use and management of these international watercourses can be settled only on the basis of international cooperation. This article analyzes a unique case of development of an environmental conflict in the sphere of management of a transboundary water basin between Russia and China, in fruitful environmental cooperation. A major result of settlement of the conflict concerning the pollution by China of the Amur River basin was the signing of an intergovernmental Russian-Chinese agreement on the rational use and protection of transboundary waters (Beijing, January 29, 2008), and also an intensification of relations in other areas of environmental cooperation.