Lancang-Mekong Cooperation: A Decade of Efforts in Building a 'Golden Platform'

In 2015, the first Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) was held. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the LMC. As the first regional cooperation mechanism established by six countries with the goal of building a community with a shared future, the LMC has made positive progress in cooperation across various fields over the past decade, thanks to the joint efforts of the six countries. It has become a "golden platform" for regional cooperation.

The six Lancang-Mekong countries are interconnected by rivers and mountains, share cultural ties, and have intertwined interests and destinies. Over the past decade, these countries have focused on three major pillars: political security, economic and sustainable development, and social and cultural cooperation. They have concentrated on five priority areas: connectivity, capacity cooperation, cross-border economy, water resources, agriculture, and poverty alleviation. Through continuous strengthening of institutional development and solid pragmatic cooperation, the six countries have been guided by their leaders' strategic vision. The Lancang-Mekong nations have adhered to the principles of maintaining integrity while innovating, steadily building political mutual trust, and are committed to transforming the Lancang-Mekong region into a demonstration zone for the Belt and Road Initiative, a pioneering area for global development initiatives, an experimental zone for global security initiatives, and a leading area for global civilization initiatives. The content of Lancang-Mekong cooperation has continually enriched, and its effectiveness has consistently improved.

Firstly, the construction of a community with a shared future among the Lancang-Mekong countries has achieved positive results. China and Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam have successively announced the establishment of a community with a shared future, resulting in comprehensive coverage of bilateral and multilateral community building in the Lancang-Mekong region. Meanwhile, China has continued to deepen the construction of functional communities in areas such as the ocean and cyberspace with the five Mekong countries. A multidimensional and all-encompassing pattern of the Lancang-Mekong community with a shared future is gradually taking shape.

Secondly, the construction of the Lancang-Mekong cooperation mechanism has been continuously improved. As a multilateral cooperation mechanism based on intergovernmental collaboration, Lancang-Mekong cooperation adheres to the pattern of "leadership guidance, comprehensive coverage, and participation from various sectors." On this basis, it continually explores efficient and feasible new pathways for mechanism development. In addition to holding leaders' meetings every two years and foreign ministers' meetings annually, the ministerial working groups in the six priority areas are operating effectively. In the security domain, the Lancang-Mekong Law Enforcement Cooperation Center plays a key role as the main platform for regional law enforcement cooperation, and the "Safe Lancang-Mekong" initiative has been continuously promoting a peaceful and stable environment in the region. The six countries have achieved positive results in combating cross-border online gambling and fraud crimes. Under the Lancang-Mekong cooperation framework, the construction of platforms such as the Global Mekong Research Center, the Lancang-Mekong Water Resources Cooperation Center, the Lancang-Mekong Environmental Cooperation Center, and the Lancang-Mekong Agricultural Cooperation Center is continuously developing and improving, providing strong intellectual support for Lancang-Mekong cooperation.

Thirdly, the cooperation model of "development first, pragmatic and efficient, project-oriented" is becoming increasingly mature. The special fund project system for Lancang-Mekong cooperation has been continuously improved and has supported the implementation of hundreds of benefit-sharing projects to date. Over a hundred "Harvest Lancang-Mekong" project clusters conducted in countries such as Myanmar have helped local farmers increase their production and income, significantly enhancing the sense of gain and satisfaction among local communities. The first phase of the "Sweet Spring Action" has established 8 to 9 centralized water supply demonstration projects and 54 decentralized water supply demonstration projects, benefiting over 10,000 people and bringing tangible benefits to the countries in the Mekong River basin.

Fourthly, the level of connectivity in the Lancang-Mekong region has significantly improved. Both "hard connectivity" and "soft connectivity" within the region are being coordinated and advanced. The China-Laos Railway and the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway are operating stably, while the construction of the China-Thailand high-speed railway and the connectivity of the China-Vietnam railway are progressing steadily. The economic development of the Lancang-Mekong River basin is gaining increasing momentum. Over the past decade, trade volume between China and the five Mekong countries has doubled. With the formal implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the region has continuously benefited from tariff reductions, simplified customs procedures, and improved trade and investment facilitation, which has further strengthened the stability and smoothness of the supply chain in the Lancang-Mekong region and promoted regional trade and investment opportunities. The efficiency of the new international land-sea trade corridor, including sea-rail and road-rail intermodal transport models, has been continuously enhanced. The participants in Lancang-Mekong cooperation are becoming increasingly diverse, with local governments, enterprises, and social organizations showing rising enthusiasm for participating in Lancang-Mekong cooperation, which has effectively supported the deepening and solidification of these collaborative efforts.

Fifthly, the bonds of people-to-people connections continue to deepen. The relationship between countries relies on the friendship among their people, and such friendship is rooted in mutual understanding. As one of the three major pillars of Lancang-Mekong cooperation, cultural exchange is of utmost importance. Over the past decade, the Lancang-Mekong countries have continuously deepened cultural exchanges, tightening the bonds of mutual understanding. They have engaged in close cooperation in various fields, including culture and tourism, sports, education, media, religion, and ethnicity. Flagship cultural exchange initiatives, such as the Lancang-Mekong Youth Innovation Competition and the Lancang-Mekong International Film Week, have been established, collectively fostering a Lancang-Mekong culture characterized by "equal treatment, sincere assistance, and family-like ties," which has effectively promoted friendly interactions among the Lancang-Mekong countries.

From "broad strokes" to "fine brushwork," Lancang-Mekong cooperation has gone through a nurturing phase and a growth phase, entering a new stage of developing the "2.0 version of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation." The Lancang-Mekong region is currently experiencing rapid economic and social development. Promoting modernization is a common historical task facing the Lancang-Mekong countries.Looking ahead, the Lancang-Mekong countries will continue to promote the spirit of "development first, equal consultation, pragmatic efficiency, and openness and inclusiveness." They will work together to expand cooperation in cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence and the green economy, closely align Lancang-Mekong cooperation with other regional cooperation mechanisms, and strengthen the coordination of Lancang-Mekong cooperation with the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. The goal is to build the Lancang-Mekong region into a new high ground for cooperation among the "Global South." The six countries are committed to upholding open regionalism, maintaining genuine multilateralism, and continuously strengthening the construction of the Lancang-Mekong cooperation mechanism. They aim to consolidate the foundation of friendly public opinion and actively enhance the participation of their peoples in Lancang-Mekong cooperation. Together, they will advance hand in hand, contributing to regional peace and development with greater stability through "Lancang-Mekong contributions."

(Author: Bao Zhipeng, Deputy Secretary- Global Center for Mekong Studies (China Center))

Source： https://www.yidaiyilu.gov.cn/p/08BIHKRA.html

Translated by Chen Xiao