Lancang-Mekong Cooperation: Journey so far

Editor's Note: The year 2024 marks the 8th anniversary of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation. As the first sub-regional cooperation mechanism in the basin jointly built and shared by 6 countries, namely China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, the cooperation has flourished in just eight years, becoming the most dynamic and promising sub-regional cooperation mechanism, making positive contributions to promoting regional prosperity and revitalization, and enhancing the well-being of the people of all countries.

Recently, Liu Qing, vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies in Beijing, shared the achievements and experiences of the cooperation in an interview with China Daily.

Q: What are the achievements of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation over the past 8 years?

A: First, with high-level meetings and exchanges, political trust has reached a new level. The leaders of the six countries have very close high-level exchanges, and the Lancang-Mekong region has become more like a family.

The second is practical cooperation. For example, in areas such as connectivity, cross-border economic cooperation, water resources, and agricultural poverty reduction. These practical cooperation have achieved fruitful results. The China-Laos Railway is a landmark project. Currently, Thailand and Vietnam are also planning railway connections with China.

The third is improving people's livelihoods. Ordinary people benefit from Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, and their livelihoods have significantly improved. The Lancang-Mekong Sweet Spring Action has provided clean drinking water to hundreds of villages, the "Lancang-Mekong Bright Journey" has restored sight to hundreds and thousands of cataract patients, and the "Sun Village along Mekong River" project has illuminated millions of households. High-speed rail connections, airport linkages, digital empowerment have accelerated the modernization of the Lancang-Mekong region.

The fourth is people-to-people exchanges. Of course, there were exchanges between countries in the past, but through the cooperation platform, exchanges in various aspects such as think tanks, tourism, and education have been greatly enhanced. It can be said that Lancang-Mekong Cooperation has brought the people of the six countries closer together.

Q: In promoting regional integration, what aspects of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation are worth learning from?

A: In promoting the building of a community with shared future for Lancang-Mekong countries, we have clear outlook, specific plans, and ample financial support.

Through institutionalized cooperation among the six countries, a culture of collaboration and cooperative consciousness has been formed. In terms of financial support, China has established the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Special Fund to support various project collaborations. Over the past 8 years of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, there have been over 700 cooperative projects. The Lancang-Mekong Cooperation is highly planned. The first five-year action plan of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation has been completed, and now it has entered the second five-year action plan from 2023 to 2027.

Q: Can you introduce us to the specific achievements or projects that have been facilitated by the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation? What are the expectations for the future of the cooperation?

A: Lancang-Mekong Cooperation is the first new sub-regional cooperation mechanism jointly initiated and launched by the six Lancang-Mekong countries. Over the past eight years since its launch, the six countries have built up consensus and worked together at the cooperation platform in the spirit of mutual benefit for common development, and achieved a number of practical outcomes. Connectivity projects such as the China-Laos Railway, the China-Thailand Railway and the Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport have boosted the region’s trade and cross-border travel, doubling the annual trade volume between China and the Mekong countries over the past eight years. The LMC Special Fund has supported hundreds of livelihood cooperation projects, including the LMC Bumper Harvest Projects, the Lancang-Mekong Sweet Spring Action, and the Green Lancang-Mekong Initiative, bringing tangible benefits to the people of these countries.

Looking forward, China will continue to strengthen the cooperation with Mekong countries, and jointly make the region an exemplar for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, a pacesetter for implementing the Global Development Initiative, a pioneer for implementing the Global Security Initiative, and a frontrunner for implementing the Global Civilization Initiative, and build a Lancang-Mekong community with a shared future that enjoys close people-to-people bond, mutual help and common prosperity.