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The report details a regional meeting held in Thailand in October 2023, bringing together stakeholders from China, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. It showcases various climate-smart agriculture (CSA) technologies—such as Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) and the System of Rice Intensification (SRI)—aimed at reducing water footprints and methane emissions in rice farming. The document outlines national policy approaches, identifies barriers like limited finance and technology access, and recommends a shift toward community-centric climate finance and enhanced interagency collaboration to build regional climate resilience.

The report identifies three primary categories of climate security vulnerabilities for China: direct risks to military and critical infrastructure, compounding risks to internal political stability, and external risks that amplify regional tensions in the Indo-Pacific. It notes that while China is investing heavily in hard infrastructure adaptation and disaster response, political incentives and a lack of societal trust may undermine these efforts. The document recommends that the US government improve its predictive data on China's physical risks, use forecasting tools like wargaming, and prioritize climate resilience funding for Indo-Pacific allies to counter Chinese influence.

Following severe floods in 1998, the Chinese government shifted from building larger levees to a 'soft path' of environmental restoration in the Yangtze River basin. This approach, guided by the '32 Character Policy' and coordinated by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), involved restoring 2,900 square kilometers of floodplains and relocating 2.4 million people to higher ground. These measures increased floodwater retention capacity by 13 billion m3, improved biodiversity, and diversified local livelihoods. The strategy was later incorporated into the 2007 National Climate Change Programme as a 'no regrets' adaptation measure, though challenges remain regarding institutional rivalry and a lingering preference for hard engineering solutions.