Joint Mekong patrol completes 10th round

A Chinese patrolman looks through a telescope during a joint patrol by China, Myanmar, Thailand and Laos on the Mekong River in Jinghong city, Southwest China's Yunnan province, May 19. The four-day joint patrol, which is the 10th round since it was launched in December 2011 to enhance safety of marine traffic, ended on Monday. Nine patrol vessels and 126 patrolmen from the four countries participated in the campaign, which covered 512 kilometers. On Oct 5, 2011, hijackers killed 13 Chinese sailors on two cargo ships in a Thai section of the waterway. Marine traffic and shipments increased 37.4% and 25%, respectively, since the joint patrols, says a Xinhua report. [Photo/Xinhua]