Wang Yi to host 10th Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi will chair the 10th Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Anning, southwestern China's Yunnan province, from Thursday to Friday.

On the sidelines of the event, the foreign ministers of China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand will hold an informal discussion on the regional situation, jointly combating cross-border crimes and other issues of mutual interest and concern.

Initiated and launched by China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam in 2015, the LMC is an innovative type of regional cooperation mechanism among Lancang-Mekong countries. This year marks the mechanism's 10th anniversary.

"All Lancang-Mekong countries are now at a crucial stage of accelerated development. Facing a volatile international landscape and the rise of unilateralism, hegemony and protectionism, the Lancang-Mekong countries need to strengthen unity, enhance cooperation, and promote common development," the Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in a statement.

The spokesperson said that China hopes to work with the Mekong countries at the LMC Foreign Ministers' Meeting to review the outcomes of cooperation, take stock of successful experience, and plan for future development of the mechanism.

This will help to build a more resilient Lancang-Mekong Economic Development Belt and an even closer Lancang-Mekong community with a shared future, providing greater stability and new driving forces for improving the well-being of people and promoting sustainable development in the region, the spokesperson said.

Over the past decade, connectivity across land, sea, air and the cyberspace among the six countries has been enhanced, cross-border trade, investment, and industrial and supply chain cooperation continued to deepen, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges have flourished, fostering ever-closer bonds among their peoples.

The six countries have cultivated the Lancang-Mekong spirit of development first, equal consultation, practicality and high efficiency, and openness and inclusiveness, and worked together to build a Lancang-Mekong home that shares weal and woe in solidarity, the spokesperson said.