LUANG PRABANG — Senior officials from China, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam agreed on Dec 17 to deepen cooperation under the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) to achieve inclusive and sustainable development in the sub-region.

At the “4th Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Foreign Minister’s Meeting,” the ministers decided to promote greater cooperation in new areas and new initiatives for mutual benefit and shared prosperity, featured with high-quality production capacity cooperation and the building of the LMC Economic Development Belt.

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Lao Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith co-chaired the meeting, which was also attended by Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong, Union Minister for International Cooperation of Myanmar U Kyaw Tin, Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai and Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.

The LMC has seen rapid development and positive outcomes, heading into a fast-growing period. It has added momentum for China-ASEAN cooperation and made the relations between the regional countries even better, said Wang.

As international rules are being threatened by unilateralism and protectionism, Wang underlined the need for the six countries to deepen partnership to jointly build the LMC Economic Development Belt, promote high-quality production capacity cooperation and foster new growth areas to promote sustainable development and prosperity in the sub-region.

Hailing China as the closest friend and partner of Mekong River countries, the ministers expressed appreciation and gratitude to China for its contribution, especially through the LMC framework to enhance economic integration.

The ministers agreed to continue to synergize LMC development with the development strategies of each country, strengthen infrastructure construction and sub-regional connectivity, while exploring cooperation opportunities of improving production capacity and promoting inter-regional cooperation.

The six countries along the Mekong (known as Lancang in the Chinese stretch), namely China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, officially started the LMC process in March 2016.