The ASEAN Mekong Basin Development Cooperation was established to promote economic integration among the Member Countries, thus helping to build the ASEAN Economic Community by 2015. The cooperation framework has contributed to the development of infrastructure and human capital in the sub-region and enabled the sharing of the resource base between ASEAN Member States and Mekong riparian countries, and with China while promoting inclusive and equitable growth in the region. It has also led to the international recognition of the sub-region as a growth area.