New ship joins Lancang-Mekong security mission

With the blast of a whistle, vessel No 53108 set off on the Lancang-Mekong River at 9 am on Tuesday in Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture, Yunnan province. Its mission is part of the 148th joint patrol and law enforcement action carried out by China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand.

The No 53108 is part of the fourth generation of ships to join the mission, which began after the Mekong River incident on Oct 5, 2011, when criminals killed 13 Chinese crew members aboard two cargo ships. Regular joint patrols started just two months later on Dec 10.

Equipped with advanced technology, No 53108 is said to be better equipped to crack down on cross-border crime.

"Currently, it's the most advanced, fully equipped, heaviest and fastest official law enforcement vessel on the Lancang-Mekong River," said Zhang Biao, captain of the vessel. "Significant optimization has been made to the vessel's spatial structure and internal layout, making it more scientifically and logically designed for daily living and operational duties."