Countries associated with the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC), China, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, should make joint efforts to build a stronger Lancang-Mekong economic development belt, said the Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday. 

He made the remarks while co-chairing the seventh LMC Foreign Ministers' Meeting with Myanmar's Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin in Bagan, Myanmar. 

Priorities of LMC in the future 

Noting that the Chinese economy, which enjoys sustained growth in the long run, is accelerating the building of a new development pattern and promoting high-quality development, Wang said that it will provide greater opportunities for countries along the Mekong River. 

He called on the LMC countries to jointly build demonstration zones for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, pilot zones for Global Development Initiative, and pilot zones for Global Security Initiative. 

In deepening economic integration, he proposed developing the China-Laos Railway and promoting the construction of the railways of China-Laos and Thailand. 

In strengthening agricultural cooperation, he proposed jointly building demonstration bases for agricultural products and carrying out cooperation on green and ecological grain storage. 

He also underlined further cooperation in adhering to green development, promoting digital industry, and having closer people-to-people exchanges. 

Initiatives benefiting Mekong countries 

In the next phase, China will introduce more initiatives to share the benefits of cooperation and boost development momentum with Mekong countries, Wang announced at the meeting. 

China will carry out 100 agricultural technology projects for Mekong countries, train 1,000 agricultural pioneers and build 10,000 hectares of demonstration farmland, he said. 

China will provide safety checks for 20 reservoirs and dams to ensure flood control, food, water supply and ecological security for 70 million people in the river basin, he said. 

Plans to promote cooperation in digital economy cooperation, space, talents and public health are also covered in the initiatives. 

A series of new cooperation consensus 

This foreign ministers' meeting has reached a series of new cooperation consensus, Wang said while meeting the press with Myanmar's foreign minister after the meeting. 

The LMC, as the first type of sub-regional cooperation mechanism jointly established by the six countries along the Lancang-Mekong River, has developed rapidly and achieved remarkable results since its launch six years ago, he said. 

The six countries deliberated and adopted the LMC five-year action plan (2023-2027). Several documents were also issued, such as a joint press communique on deepening cooperation in customs trade security and facilitation, a joint statement on agricultural cooperation and food security, and a joint statement on disaster management, according to China's Foreign Ministry. 

(Cover: The seventh LMC Foreign Ministers' Meeting is held in Bagan, Myanmar, July 4, 2022. /China's Foreign Ministry)