Chinese companies playing active role in Lancang-Mekong Cooperation

PHNOM PENH — Since the establishment of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) mechanism less than two years ago, many Chinese companies have been active players in the cooperation, greatly boosting regional development in the six riparian countries.

Jiang Zengwei, chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), told Xinhua at the ongoing Exhibition of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Achievements that Chinese companies' participation in the LMC has been promoting development of infrastructure, telecommunications, agriculture, biology and healthcare in Lancang-Mekong countries, and contributing to their economic, social and cultural advancement.

"I'm very optimistic and fairly confident of our enterprises' development in the Lancang-Mekong region," Jiang said. "I hope the Chinese companies will discover more business opportunities through this exhibition and cooperate with the companies of the other five countries to develop together and realize mutual benefits."

One of the exhibitors, Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, showcased its various cooperative projects in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar.

"Huawei's vision is to bring a digital world to people," said Li Xiongwei, CEO of Huawei Cambodia. "On this exhibition, Huawei showed three aspects of contents, the most important of which is the submarine optical fiber cable (SOFC). We have been building a SOFC connecting Thailand, Cambodia and Malaysia. We are also planning with the Cambodian government on building a China-Cambodia SOFC."

Huawei has also been Cambodia's largest information and communication technologies (ICT) provider, serving more than one third of Cambodians, Li said.

Guangxi Nongken, a Chinese agriculture company, which has been implementing the "Go Global" strategy since 2002, has investment projects or technical cooperation with other five Lancang-Mekong countries, including the cassava modified starch projects in Cambodia and Vietnam, sisal hemp projects in Cambodia and Laos, and advanced agricultural technologies cooperation with other Lancang-Mekong countries.

"The agricultural conditions in Lancang-Mekong countries, especially Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand, are pretty advanced, yet the processing industry of these countries are comparatively weak, so Guangxi Nongken has invested many projects in agricultural production and agricultural products processing in these countries," said Jin Dagang, deputy chief of Guangxi State Farms Bureau.

The world-renowned China high-speed railway has also made its appearance at the exhibition sponsored by the CCPIT and the Chinese Foreign Ministry, with an exquisite high-speed train model on display.

According to Zhao Guotang, deputy chief engineer of China Railway Corp., China's high-speed railway network has been completed by 2017 with a total length of 25,000 km, accounting for nearly 70 percent of the world's high-speed railway. China's "Renaissance" high-speed train is also the world's fastest and most advanced train with a speed capacity of 350 km per hour.

"Under this circumstance, China's high-speed train's overseas journey in Lancang-Mekong countries has been very successful, with China-Laos Railway, China-Thailand Railway, Jakarta-Vientiane Railway among others, going on very well," said Zhao.

CCPIT Chairman Jiang said it is expected that all the six Lancang-Mekong countries will achieve mutual benefits and win-win through the LMC mechanism under the framework of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.