Chinese FM to visit Myanmar, travel to Thailand to co-chair 9th LMC Foreign Ministers' Meeting, attend Informal Discussion between Foreign Ministers of China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand

BEIJING - Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese Foreign Minister, will visit Myanmar and travel to Thailand to co-chair the ninth Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting and attend the Informal Discussion Between the Foreign Ministers of China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand from August 14 to 17.

On Wang's upcoming visit to Myanmar, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said it is aimed at deepening bilateral mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, cementing the close bond of friendship between the two peoples, and advancing the building of the China-Myanmar community with a shared future.

As a friend and neighbor of Myanmar, China strictly follows the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs, supports Myanmar's effort to uphold stability, grow the economy and improve people's livelihood, and provides constructive help for parties in Myanmar to properly address differences through political consultation within the framework of the constitution and other laws, the spokesperson added.

About the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC), the spokesperson said it is an innovative type of regional cooperation mechanism among China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam featuring collaboration, consultation and shared benefit. Since its launch in 2016, the mechanism has delivered fruitful results, contributing effectively to the economic and social development of the six Lancang-Mekong countries, and bringing tangible benefits to their peoples.

The spokesperson said that in recent years, under the strategic guidance of leaders of China and the Mekong countries, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam have each announced jointly with China the building of a community with a shared future. All countries in the Mekong region are engaged in building a community with a shared future both bilaterally with China and multilaterally under the LMC mechanism.

China hopes to work with the Mekong countries at the LMC Foreign Ministers' Meeting to review the progress of cooperation, take stock of past experience, and plan for next steps to advance LMC, to build the Lancang-Mekong region into an exemplar for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, a pacesetter for implementing the Global Development Initiative, a pioneer for implementing the Global Security Initiative and a frontrunner for implementing the Global Civilization Initiative, and form an even closer community with a shared future for Lancang-Mekong countries, the spokesperson added.

On the sidelines of the LMC meeting, at the invitation of Thailand, Wang will attend the Informal Discussion Between the Foreign Ministers of China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand to exchange views on the regional situation, jointly combating cross-border crimes and other issues, said the spokesperson.