China News Service, Beijing, November 4 (Reporter Huang Yuqin) On November 4, the 11th Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers’ Meeting was held in Beijing. After the meeting, Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister, and Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Sihasak, co-chairman of the country, jointly met with reporters.
Wang Yi said that the 11th Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers’ Meeting has just been successfully held. Since its launch in 2016, under the strategic guidance of the leaders of the six countries, the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation has gained strong momentum and has built an all-round, multi-level and wide-ranging cooperation pattern, and has continuously achieved tangible and universally beneficial results. "Drinking from the same river, our destiny is closely linked" has become more deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. The Lancang-Mekong Cooperation can be called the most dynamic "golden model" of regional cooperation.
Wang Yi said that the foreign ministers of the six countries agreed that the construction of a community with a shared future between China and the five Mekong countries has continued to be deepened and solidified. The trade volume between the two sides has exceeded US$500 billion, an increase of 150% from 10 years ago, accounting for about half of the trade volume between China and ASEAN. The Lancang-Mekong Economic Development Belt has been implemented and the construction of the innovation corridor has been fruitful. The "Safe Lancang-Mekong Action" was implemented efficiently, and cross-border online gambling fraud was effectively combated. The Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Special Fund supports more than 1,000 development projects, benefiting Lancang-Mekong countries and bringing tangible benefits to the people. The "Lancang-Mekong Visa" launched by China has facilitated exchanges between people from the six countries.
Wang Yi pointed out that the foreign ministers of the six countries unanimously agreed that the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation has grown from a seed ten years ago to the towering tree it is today. This has benefited from the six countries' original aspiration of adhering to good neighborliness and a shared future, adhering to the direction of focusing on development and pragmatic cooperation, adhering to the concept of benefiting the people, openness and inclusiveness, and adhering to the courage to be innovation-driven and pioneering. Facing the current multiple challenges in the international and regional areas, the Lancang-Mekong family should take the opportunity of the fifth Lancang-Mekong Leaders’ Meeting to successfully push Lancang-Mekong cooperation to a new level.
The first is to jointly adhere to unity and self-reliance. Continue to promote the Lancang-Mekong culture of "equal treatment, sincere mutual assistance, and family ties", implement the second "Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Five-Year Action Plan", intensify exchanges and policy communication at all levels, strengthen top-level design and build strategic consensus around important issues such as regional development and security. We should persist in resolving differences and disputes through dialogue and consultation, enhance security resilience through development and cooperation, and jointly safeguard the overall situation of friendly cooperation.
The second is to jointly promote openness and win-win results. Deepen cooperation on the "New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor", promote the liberalization and facilitation of regional trade and investment, promote more high-quality products from Mekong countries to enter the Chinese market, and continue to build the Lancang-Mekong economic development belt. Strengthen water governance cooperation in the entire Lancang-Mekong basin and build an information sharing platform for water resources cooperation. Promote tourism cooperation and establish the Lancang-Mekong Tourism Cities Cooperation Alliance at an early date. Make good use of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Special Fund to support the implementation of more "small but beautiful" people's livelihood projects.
The third is to jointly expand green innovation. Strengthen cooperation in emerging fields such as digital economy, artificial intelligence, smart manufacturing, and smart agriculture, and promote the transformation of regional industrial cooperation into new, smart, and green sectors. Give full play to the demonstration and driving effect of "Lancang-Mekong Future Stars", strengthen the Lancang-Mekong Youth Astronomical Science Research Center, promote the establishment of the "Lancang-Mekong National Universities Alliance", and inject the vitality of young people into promoting innovative cooperation.
The fourth is to work closely together on security cooperation. We should adhere to the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security and resist the establishment of exclusive "small circles". Give full play to the role of the Lancang-Mekong Ministerial Conference on Law Enforcement and Security Cooperation, continue to successfully implement the "Safe Lancang-Mekong Operation" and the Mekong River Joint Patrol and Law Enforcement Operation, strengthen the Lancang-Mekong Comprehensive Law Enforcement and Security Cooperation Center, and promote the early institutionalization of judicial cooperation among Lancang-Mekong countries.
Fifth, jointly strengthen disaster management. Promote the establishment of a Lancang-Mekong cross-border disaster early warning cooperation mechanism, explore the establishment of a Lancang-Mekong disaster management and rescue cooperation center in southern provinces of China, and strengthen cooperation between China and Mekong countries in disaster monitoring, early warning, and emergency response. Promote the implementation of China's intelligent meteorological early warning program "Mazu" in Mekong countries and build a regional meteorological disaster monitoring and early warning network. Strengthen cooperation in earthquake monitoring, early warning and emergency response, and build an earthquake early warning demonstration network.
Wang Yi said that if a river surges, life will never end; if two rivers are connected, their destiny will depend on each other. China will work with the Mekong countries not to be a "talk shop" but to be a "bulldozer". We will adhere to a problem-oriented approach, do more practical things, put people's livelihood first, and take action as the priority. We will take more powerful measures to promote joint modernization, keep the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation at the forefront of regional cooperation, set a benchmark for unity and self-reliance in the global South, and jointly inject the positive energy of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation into the current chaotic world. (over)
