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On December 7, 2023, the 8th Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting was held in Beijing. After the meeting, Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China and Minister of the Communist Party of China, and Myanmar Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dansui jointly met with reporters.
Wang Yi said: Today, the Eighth Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting was successfully held. Focusing on the theme of "Jointly Advancing to Modernization and Cultivating New Advantages in Sub-regional Development", the foreign ministers of the six countries planned the development priorities for the next stage, made good preparations for the convening of the Fourth Leaders' Meeting, and built consensus. The foreign ministers of the six countries unanimously agreed that the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation has a high starting point, rapid development and wide benefits, and has achieved the goal of "making progress every day, achieving results every month, and stepping up every year". The people of the countries in the basin have truly felt the dividends brought by the Lancang-Mekong cooperation, and the construction of the Lancang-Mekong Economic Development Belt has continuously yielded fruitful results. As a new type of sub-regional cooperation mechanism, the LMC has continued to grow and become a new and important platform for mutually beneficial cooperation in the region.
Wang Yi said that in the face of a more unstable and uncertain world, the Lancang-Mekong countries must be more united, jointly respond to challenges, carry forward the Lancang-Mekong spirit of putting development first, consultation on an equal footing, being pragmatic and efficient, open and inclusive, and maintain peace and stability in the Lancang-Mekong sub-region and promote the development and prosperity of the Lancang-Mekong sub-region. At present, the Lancang-Mekong countries are at an important juncture in accelerating development and modernization, and all parties agreed to focus on six major directions:
First, we need to promote the building of a closer community with a shared future. The six countries will strengthen high-level exchanges and lead the strategic direction of the Lancang-Mekong CooperationStrengthen the docking development strategy and build the Lancang-Mekong marketAdhere to the people-oriented approach, so that the fruits of cooperation can benefit more people and people's livelihood.
The second is to create a more interconnected economic development belt. The six countries will comprehensively improve infrastructure connectivity, expand investment, and improve the industrial chain network. We will further carry out cooperation in cross-border special economic zones and other areas, hold the Lancang-Mekong Young Entrepreneurs Forum, and jointly build demonstration zones for agricultural modernization. The Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Special Loan for Joint Development has been set up to facilitate the joint development of the six countries.
The third is to create a safer environment for development. The six countries will take security cooperation as the focus of cooperation in the next stage, adopt the "Safe Lancang-Mekong Action Plan" as soon as possible, resolutely crack down on cross-border crimes in the sub-region, especially online gambling, and eradicate security tumors that endanger people's security and interfere with the development of all countries. We support Vietnam in hosting the Second Lancang-Mekong Water Resources Cooperation Ministerial Conference and stand ready to jointly strengthen cooperation in meteorological disaster prevention and mitigation and promote the rational and sustainable use of water resources.
Fourth, we are moving towards a more digital development prospect. The science and technology authorities of the six countries are discussing the establishment of a sub-regional innovation corridor, and China is willing to carry out more cooperation in the digital economy and innovation under the framework of the innovation corridor. In line with the spirit of the Global AI Governance Initiative, China and the five Mekong countries are actively exploring cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence. The six countries will speed up the implementation of the Lancang-Mekong Space Cooperation Program and jointly develop satellites with Mekong countries to serve the practical needs of agricultural and forestry resources protection, disaster prevention and mitigation.
Fifth, deepen people-to-people cooperation with more distinctive characteristics. The six countries will carry out various forms of people-to-people exchanges in the fields of tourism, sports, local governments, universities, and youth, so that the people of the six countries will be better and more friendly. China has completed the preliminary preparations for the establishment of the Lancang-Mekong Tourism Cities Cooperation Alliance and supports the establishment of the Lancang-Mekong Aviation Development Cooperation Alliance. The six countries will also jointly hold activities such as universities and youth Lancang-Mekong meetings to create opportunities for dialogue and exchanges among the younger generation.
Sixth, advocate the concept of more inclusive cooperation. We will vigorously promote the coordinated development of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC), the Greater Mekong Subregion Economic Cooperation, the Three River Basin Mechanism and the Mekong River Commission, so as to build the subregion into a harmonious home of openness, inclusiveness, exchanges and mutual learning.
Wang Yi stressed that the LMC is a cooperation mechanism for the six countries to jointly build and share benefits, and with the joint efforts of all parties, the LMC has shown bright prospects for development. The Foreign Ministers' Meeting was efficient, pragmatic and fruitful, and further strengthened our determination and confidence in jointly building a community with a shared future for peace and prosperity in the Lancang-Mekong countries. Looking ahead, we will continue to work together to build the Belt and Road Demonstration Zone, the Global Development Initiative Pilot Zone, the Global Security Initiative Pilot Zone and the Global Civilization Initiative Capital Zone, so as to make the LMC more solid, more steady, and broader, so as to better benefit the people of the countries in the basin.