Mekong-Lancang Cooperation: Myanmar hosts 7th MLC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting

Myanmar hosted the 7th Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on 4th July at Aureum Palace Hotel in Bagan.

The Meeting was co-chaired by Union Minister for Foreign Affairs of Myanmar U Wunna Maung Lwin and  State Councilor and Foreign Minister of the Peoples’ Republic of China Mr. Wang Yi.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia Prak Sokhonn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lao PDR Saleumxay Kommasith, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand Don Pramudwinai and Foreign Minister of Viet Nam Bui Thanh Son attended the meeting.

During the meeting, the Ministers reviewed on the work done in the past and discussed the future direction of the cooperation. They also exchanged views on the ways and means to address the current challenges. 

At the Meeting, Union Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin stated collective efforts with solidarity under Mekong-Lancang Cooperation framework as per the theme of the meeting; “Solidarity for Peace and Prosperity”.

He also mentioned to have closed cooperation for the prevention and control of infectious diseases including COVID-19 for regional health security, and thanked China for the assistance rendered to Myanmar for the fight against COVID-19.

He also highlighted the importance of regional peace and stability as a basis for sustainable development, and support the “Global Security Initiative” of China and pointed out the need to enhance cooperation in the area of non-traditional security including suppression of transnational crime, illicit drug producing and trafficking, illegal weapon trafficking and anti-terrorism.

He also supported the establishment of Mekong-Lancang Disaster Management Cooperation Mechanism for the improvement of disaster risk reduction capacity of six member states. He also touched upon the other areas of cooperation such as water resources, agriculture, production capacity, power generation and renewable energy.

In the meeting, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Mr. Wang Yi discussed on the future direction under the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation which include to promote strategic leadership for the sustainable development, to expand agriculture cooperation, to promote green development, to enhance cooperation on digital innovation and to strengthen people-to-people exchanges and also explained the plan for future cooperation under the MLC framework.

The Foreign Ministers of Mekong countries also discussed on the matters to be included in the future work of Mekong-Lancang Cooperation.

The meeting issued the Joint Press Communique’ and four thematic statements in the areas of agriculture, disaster management, custom, and mutual learning among the peoples of Mekong-Lancang region. 

After the meeting, all Foreign Ministers of Mekong-Lancang Cooperation attended the opening ceremony of “Mekong-Lancang Cooperation National Coordination Unit Building” built at the premises of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nay Pyi Taw.

The two Co-chairs, Foreign Ministers of Myanmar and China, also made a Joint Press Conference on the outcomes of the meeting.