Thailand launches LMC-backed projects

Thailand launched a total of 18 projects supported by the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Special Fund on Thursday, aiming to address challenges in the Mekong subregion such as food and energy security.

Those projects, covering a wide range of fields, including agriculture, forestry and fisheries, food safety, public health and youth development, will be implemented by seven Thai departments.

Thursday marked the seventh anniversary of the first LMC Leaders' Meeting. Seven years ago, leaders from Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, met in China and affirmed their determination to work together to promote peace, stability and sustainable development in the Lancang-Mekong subregion.

The Lancang-Mekong River is a vital waterway for cross-border shipping, with the upper reaches of the river known as the Lancang River in China, and the Mekong River in the other five Southeast Asian countries it flows through.

The Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Special Fund, which was launched by the LMC countries to enable concrete and effective cooperation between the member countries, has provided more than 600 development projects across the subregion, including 59 projects from Thailand.

"Those newly launched projects in Thailand are not only in line with the development priorities, but also address the issues in the Mekong subregion and draw a balance between economic recovery and environmental protection," said Chairat Sirivat, ambassador of the Mekong Cooperation Unit at the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

At a news conference on Thursday in Bangkok, Permanent Secretary of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sarun Charoensuwan announced that Thailand is set to take over the co-chairmanship of the LMC with China for the next two years. A ceremony is expected to be held after the 4th LMC Leaders' Meeting scheduled to be held later this year.

"The Mekong subregion is at the heart of Thailand's foreign policy. Thailand's prosperity, security and stability and those in the Mekong subregion are inextricably linked to one another," he said.

He said Thailand wishes to see the subregion where all the countries are united in solidarity, move forward together in a sustainable manner and jointly drive forward concrete cooperation on the basis of consensus and mutual benefit.

"Therefore, Thailand and the subregion would strongly and steadily recover from the past crisis with prosperity and sustainability, as well as move toward the future in full confidence," he said.

Han Zhiqiang, Chinese ambassador to Thailand, recalled the achievements that the six member countries have made over the past years, including the high-quality projects that have benefited people's livelihoods and boosted regional prosperity and stability.

"We drink from the same river, and our destiny is closely linked. The Lancang-Mekong River connects China and Thailand tightly," Han said.

He said China is willing to continue to work with all parties of Thailand to implement the important consensus reached by leaders of the two countries, and accelerate the building of the China-Thailand community with a shared future.

"With joint efforts of all parties, the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation will contribute wisdom to the economic recovery of the six countries, inject impetus to regional prosperity and revitalization, and provide assistance for the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," he said.

yangwanli@chinadaily.com.cn