While nations around the drying Mekong meet in Thailand to discuss the river's low water levels, China insists the current problems come from an act of nature.
Millions of dollars worth of Chinese cargo are stranded in barges along the Mekong, due to the low water levels.
Chinese dams along the Mekong have been blamed for disrupting the water supply, but the Chinese foreign ministry said drought caused water scarcity in the Mekong region.
China has built, or is planning to build, eight dams along the Mekong.
The countries in Southeast Asia who blame Chinese dams, have eleven dams of their own.
Melissa Chan reports for Al Jazeera from Yunnan Province in China.