Meeting held to establish Lancang-Mekong Cooperation in Indochina

Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai in Xishuangbanna, South China's Yunnan province on Wednesday. [Photo by Wang Qingyun/chinadaily.com.cn]

Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with foreign ministers from five countries in the Indochinese Peninsula in Xishuangbanna, South China's Yunnan province on Wednesday and Thursday, saying that China hopes to strengthen cooperation with these countries.

Wang and the foreign ministers of Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos are in Xishuangbanna to attend the First Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting, which is being held on Thursday morning.

The meeting, co-chaired by Chinese and Thai foreign ministers, will announce the establishment of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Mechanism, which, according to Wang, is the first subregional cooperation mechanism initiated by the six countries, which are all located along the Lancang River, which is called the Mekong River outside China.

When meeting Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai on Wednesday, Wang said that China appreciates the efforts Thailand, one of the important initiators of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Mechanism, has made in communicating, collaborating and pushing the establishment of the mechanism.

A year ago, when attending the 17th ASEAN-China Summit in Nay Pyi Taw, Premier Li Keqiang announced China's plan of such a meeting.

Li said that China would respond positively to Thailand's proposal and planned to hold a foreign ministers' meeting on the construction of a Lancang-Mekong dialogue and cooperation mechanism in 2015.

All six countries have taken an equal part in the establishment of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Mechanism, a mechanism that will push strongly the cooperation of the region and create more common interests for the six countries, Don Pramudwinai said on Wednesday.

The Lancang-Mekong cooperation mechanism is important to the subregional development and will facilitate ASEAN integration, Cambodian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hor Namhong said on Wednesday.

When meeting with U Wunna Maung Lwin, Myanmar minister of foreign affairs on Wednesday, Wang said China is pleased to note that the elections in Myanmar were relatively smooth.

China genuinely hopes that Myanmar will attain stability, harmony among ethnic groups and economic development, that parties in Myanmar will work together to construct and develop the country, and that Myanmar continues to explore a path of development that suits its own situation, he said.

No matter how its domestic political situation changes, Myanmar will not change its willingness to strengthen cooperation with China, U Wunna Maung Lwin said.