Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Heading Forward

“Mekong, a warm and fertile river,nourishes life, biodiversity, history and future alongside. The people residing along the river share the common belief,and they are kind, inclusive with each other…” Beginning by playing the
documentary video — Nourished by the Same River, the 2nd Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers’ Meeting kicked off in northwest Cambodia’s tourist city Siem Reap on December 23,2016.

Chinese Foreign Minister H.E. Wang Yi had a pragmatic and efficient c o m m u n i c a t i o n o n L a n c a n g -Mekong Cooperation (LMC) with his counterparts from Myanmar, Laos,Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.The reason why LMC can make so muchheadway within such a short period of time is that it satisfes the deep desire of the six countries to enhance reciprocal cooperation, and keeps up with the pace of regional economic integration, Wangsaid at a joint press conference after the meeting concluded.

LMC making progress

It took only one year to implement the Early Harvest Programs since the LMC was initiated. The 2nd Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on December 23, 2016 mapped out the direction of further cooperation and what the next steps should be, Wang told the reporter. First, set up Joint Working Groups responsible for the key priority areas within three to six months. Second,encourage member states to set up LMC secretariats or coordination bodies respectively next year. Third, make headway with or fully implement all of 45 Early Harvest Programs next year. Fourth, make a new list of cooperationprojects and a five-year action plan for LMC, which will be submitted to thesecond Leaders’ Meeting for approval.Fifth, start to apply for the LMC fund assoon as possible.

Thanks to the joint efforts made by the six countries along the river after reaching consensus at the frst LancangMekong Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting in March 2016, it took less than one year to establish a set of work mechanism and platform for LMC, including the Leaders’ Meeting, the Foreign Minister’s Meeting, and Senior Offcials’ Meeting.Besides, half of Early Harvest Programs has been accomplished or is underway, and some of relevant financial support has been ready.

All countries in the region are gratifed with the progress made in the Early Harvest Programs. The LMC fund,launched by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China, has been available for all the six countries.All this marks the pragmatic advance of LMC.

LMC — A wise choice for regional prosperity

In fact, there is many a similar cooperation mechanism. Take Greater Mekong Sub-regional Cooperation ( G M S ) f o r a n i n s t a n c e . I t w a s established by China’s Yunnan Province and five countries along the Mekong River in 1992, aiming to to enhance their business ties, boost the sub-regional economic and social development and achieve regional prosperity. As another example, Mekong River Commission,jointly established by the countries along the Mekong River in 1995, expects cooperation in areas of shipping, water conservancy, agriculture, fshing, disaster relief and environmental protection. Inaddition, there are U.S.-led plans like “The Lower Mekong Initiative ” and “Friends of the Lower Mekong”.

N e v e r t h e l e s s , t h e s e m e n t i o n e d cooperation mechanisms are subjected to various handicaps when they were practiced in the region. For example, in the Asian Bank – led GMS, the project arrangement and relevant support may be determined by or somewhat affected by the economic and even political concerns of the GMS’s leading states. It is the same with the U.S.-led Lower Mekong Initiative. As for the Mekong River Commission, the financial shortage has made it have a mass layoff.

How about LMC, then? Does it have something new or preferential when compared with other existing cooperation mechanisms?

Turn to the new cooperation mechanism led by China and joined by the remaining countries along the Mekong River. LMC provides more funds and resources. Its ultimate target is to promote all-round cooperation more pragmatically and effciently and to generate more tangible benefts in the Mekong region.

LMC has been on the rise since the first Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting with the theme of “Shared River and Shared Future” was held in March 2106. As said in the documentary video Nourished by the Same River , “Let us make our home Mekong River prosperous. May the
peoples in the region be happy. The river nourishes over 90 nationalities and six countries, carrying friendliness, trust, responsibility and common benefit.It bears its people’s best wishes and delivers their cooperation, development and friendship.” The six countries along the river is going hand in hand and heading towards the way of cooperationand common development.

Written by Gao Hang

Translated by Mao Yuye