在湄公河下游减贫合作中，美国、日本等域外国家积极参与。这些域外国家以各类合作机制为路径，通过基础设施建设、援助投资、经贸合作、教育培训、技术支持等方式和途径长期保持对减贫合作的有效参与。在地缘政治竞争加剧的背景下，对于域外国家的参与，东盟国家特别是下湄公河五国对次区域减贫采取积极务实的态度，坚持合作主体的包容性，避免减贫合作的政治化，同时坚持东盟在合作中的中心性，深入推进次区域减贫合作的发展。
Extraterritorial powers，such as the United States，Japan and etc.，have active involvement in the Lower Mekong sub-regional cooperation on poverty reduction. Taking various cooperation mechanisms as the path，these foreign powers have been effectively involved cooperation for a long time through infrastructure construction，investment assistance，economic and trade cooperation，education and training，technical support and other ways and means. Under the background of geopolitical competition，ASEAN countries，especially the five Lower Mekong Countries，take positive pragmatic attitude in the sub-region poverty reduction. The countries adhere to inclusiveness，refrain from politicizing the cooperation，at the same time，emphasize ASEAN Centrality，and further promote the development of cooperation in poverty reduction cooperation in the sub-region.
