On the morning of November 6, 2024, the Institute for International and Area Studies (IIAS) at Tsinghua University hosted a hybrid online and offline lecture titled "Evolutionary Paradigms and Modeling Approaches in Transboundary River Basin Management." The lecture was delivered by Professor Zhao Jianshi at the School of Civil Engineering, Tsinghua University, and moderated by PhD student Tan Yiqian at Institute for International and Area Studies (IIAS), Tsinghua University.
Professor Zhao Jianshi began by outlining the major challenges facing global transboundary river basin management. He emphasized that freshwater resources are becoming increasingly strategic and scarce due to global population growth, climate change, and environmental pollution. He highlighted that managing transboundary basins is a key way to resolve conflicts over water resources and promote cooperation, especially in critical geopolitical regions such as the Lancang-Mekong River Basin. Such transboundary collaboration not only benefits environmental protection but also significantly supports the Belt and Road Initiative.
A major focus of the lecture was the evolutionary paradigm of transboundary river basin games. Professor Zhao Jianshi explained the "prisoner's dilemma" and the mechanisms of cooperation evolution in transboundary conflicts, emphasizing the path from conflict to cooperation. He pointed out that improving water infrastructure and establishing fair compensation mechanisms can break the prisoner's dilemma and foster long-term cooperation among river basin stakeholders. Using the Lancang-Mekong Basin as an example, he analyzed key factors driving the evolution from conflict to cooperation, stressing the importance of effective cooperation mechanisms for regional stability and sustainable development.
Professor Zhao Jianshi further introduced the evolutionary paradigm of transboundary river basin cooperation—from no incremental benefit in cooperation to comprehensive benefit sharing. He demonstrated how to use optimization models and game theory analysis to make informed decisions, achieving optimal distribution of resources such as hydropower and rice. He also highlighted the "water-energy-food-ecology" nexus, noting that cooperation mechanisms like the "hydropower-for-rice" initiative can lead to mutually beneficial outcomes for all parties involved.
After the lecture, students and faculty members, both on and off line, interacted with Professor Zhao Jianshi in a Q&A session and expressed their gratitude to Professor Zhao Jianshi for the informative and insightful lecture, which provided valuable perspectives for understanding the evolutionary paradigms of transboundary river basin management and regional cooperation.
Professor Zhao Jianshi, Vice Dean and professor of School of Civil Engineering, Tsinghua University. His research focuses on water resource systems, water rights, and transboundary rivers. He leads national-level projects and serves in key roles in several academic organizations, including the Asia Water Council. As Editor in Chief of Frontiers in Water and Associate Editor of the ASCE Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, he has published over 100 papers and was recognized as an "Elsevier Highly Cited Chinese Researcher" (2021-2023). Professor Zhao has received multiple prestigious awards, including the China Youth Science and Technology Award and two National Science and Technology Progress Awards.
