Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi is scheduled to co-chair the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC) next week in Chiangmai, according to an informed source.
The source stated that Wang Yi will arrive in Chiang Mai for a two-day visit on Aug 16-17 to co-chair with Thailand the 9th MLC Foreign Ministerial Meeting. Other foreign ministers from the MLC members will also participate in the meeting.
Established in 2016, the MLC is a cooperative framework between China and the Mekong’s riparian countries, which include Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia.
During the two-day meeting, the MLC members will discuss the progress of their cooperation under the MLC, especially those linked to the MLC Special Fund.
Prime Minister Srettha will deliver a keynote speech titled “Towards a Safer and Cleaner Mekong-Lancang Community” on August 16 at the opening ceremony. Later, all the MLC leaders will make a courtesy call on Srettha.
The framework plays an important role in fostering regional integration and promoting sustainable development. Over the past eight years, over 700 projects have been launched under the MLC Special Fund.
This year, as the co-chair, Thailand will lead discussions and initiatives that will make the Mekong subregion safer and greener. So far, Thailand has initiated 77 projects covering education, public health, trade, and natural resource management.
File photo: China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi//AFP
