Chinese Ambassador Mr Chen Hai
March 18 marks the unveiling of the 7th Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Week. The thousand-mile-long Lancang-Mekong River originates from the Tanggula Mountains on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau in China, closely connecting China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam as pearls on a string. In 2016, leaders of the six countries jointly launched the LMC as a new type of sub-regional cooperation mechanism in the spirit of a “shared river, shared future”. Over the past eight years, the six countries have treated each other equally, sincerely assisted each other, and become as close as family. The LMC has progressed from scratch, upgraded with quality improvement, and achieved fruitful results, continuously deepening and solidifying the construction of the Lancang-Mekong community with a shared future, bringing tangible benefits to the people of the member countries.
My colleagues at the Embassy of China in Myanmar and I are honoured to be involved in promoting the development of China-Myanmar cooperation under LMC. The “efficiency of LMC” has been fully demonstrated in Myanmar with progress every day, achievements every month, and continuous advancement every year. Over the past year, the Embassy has attended LMC project activities more than 40 times. During LMC Week each year, we exchange views on LMC through articles, TV interviews, and other means. We have witnessed the fruitful results of LMC in Myanmar and personally felt its vitality and potential. Currently, the LMC Special Fund set up by China has supported Myanmar in implementing 106 projects, ranking at the forefront in terms of both quantity and amount of funds among LMC countries. With its remarkable progress and achievements, LMC has become a highlight of China-Myanmar cooperation.
The LMC Special Fund supports the development of locally suitable and high-value-added new agricultural industries in Myanmar, including the breeding and promotion of improved rice varieties, cultivation and processing of coffee, nuts, fruits, vegetables, and aquatic products, as well as innovative weaving of bamboo and rattan. Additionally, China has assisted Myanmar in strengthening capacity building, supporting youth and women entrepreneurship, promoting tourism development, enhancing vocational training centres, etc., thereby improving Myanmar’s independent development capabilities. At the same time, support has been provided for the development of emerging industries and new formats, as well as for conducting research in emerging industries, such as information communication technology and solar photovoltaic power generation, and implementing green development projects such as transboundary haze pollution management and waste recycling laboratories. All of these movements have made significant contributions to Myanmar’s sustainable economic and social development and improvement of people’s livelihoods.
The LMC has become a golden example of regional cooperation, and the construction of an LMC community with a shared future has made positive progress. China has reached a consensus with Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam to build bilateral communities with a shared future. The LMC countries have jointly created a powerful engine for development, built a strong shield for common security, and tightened emotional bonds of mutual understanding. The interconnectivity of the China-Laos-Thailand Railway has been achieved, and the Kyaukpyu Deep-Sea Port project is in steady progress. The closer regional connectivity has accelerated regional economic and trade activities and personnel exchanges. China’s annual trade volume with LMC countries has doubled in the past seven years.
The LMC Special Fund has supported over 700 livelihood projects. Over a hundred “LMC Harvest” projects in Myanmar and other countries have helped local farmers increase production and income. The “Lancang-Mekong Sweet Spring Action Plan” has helped improve rural water supply in Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos. The “Green Lancang-Mekong Plan” promotes local environmental governance and low-carbon development, effectively benefiting regional people’s livelihoods. LMC countries have closely cooperated in addressing non-traditional security areas such as terrorism, online fraud, and human trafficking. China, Myanmar, and Thailand have jointly conducted an anti-tele fraud combat with positive results, effectively safeguarding the safety of people’s lives and property in the region. We have jointly held a variety of brilliant activities, such as the Lancang-Mekong TV Week, Film Week, traditional dance festivals, and the Sepak Takraw Open Competition, further tightening our cultural bonds. At present, LMC countries are working together to build a high-quality demonstration area for the joint construction of the “Belt and Road”, a pilot area for the Global Development Initiative, an experimental area for the Global Security Initiative, and a model area for the Global Civilization Initiative, setting an example in building a community with a shared future for humankind.
The Two Sessions of China recently successfully concluded, during which President Xi Jinping emphasized the need to firmly focus on the primary task of high-quality development and develop new quality productive forces based on local conditions. Last year, China’s economy contributed one-third of global growth at a rate of 5.2 per cent, and the engine-driving growth remains robust. This includes not only reasonable quantitative growth but also effective quality improvements. Emerging industries are flourishing, green transformation is yielding results, and new productive forces are accelerating. China’s modernization will bring new opportunities for the development of Myanmar and other countries in the Mekong River region and will also add greater impetus to LMC.
LMC has undergone an extraordinary eight-year journey. There is considerable potential and possibility in the LMC and China-Myanmar relations. China will continue to practice the Principles of Amity, Sincerity, Mutual Benefit and Inclusiveness in Neighborhood Diplomacy and promote the Lancang-Mekong spirit of “development first, equal consultation, practicality and high efficiency, and openness and inclusiveness” with member countries. In addition, China will deepen integrated development, promote green cooperation, strengthen security governance, and enhance cultural and people-to-people exchanges with partners. We are willing to encourage the China-Myanmar cooperation under LMC to a higher level while pursuing our own high-quality development, allowing the Pauk-Phaw friendship between our peoples to shine brightly in the new era and jointly composing a new chapter in promoting the building of a community with a shared future for China and Myanmar, the Lancang-Mekong countries, and all the humanity.
(The opinions and views expressed in the article belong solely to the author).
