Forum on Lancang-Mekong Local Government Cooperation successfully held in Beihai,Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region

Zhang Min

O n Dec 17， the Forum on L a n c a n g - M e k o n g L o c a l Government Cooperation was successfully held in Beihai， Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region， online and offline simultaneously. It was co-hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the People’s Government of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

Themed “Enhancing Sub-National Exchanges， Deepening LancangMekong Cooperation”， the participants had candid， friendly and constructive discussions on two major topics：“Strengthening Cooperation Against the Epidemic and Protecting People’s Health” and “Deepening Mutually Beneficial Cooperation and Sharing a Better Future”. They reached broad consensus and agreed to issue the chair’s statement.

The forum is the first platform for exchanges and cooperation between local governments of the six LMC countries. It aims to implement the outcomes of the third Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting and the sixth LMC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

Wang Yi， State councilor and foreign minister of China， sent a congratulatory letter to the forum. Lan Tianli， chairman of the People’s Government of Guangxi， attended and delivered a welcoming speech. Lin Songtian， president of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries， delivered a keynote speech. H.E. U Myo Thant Pe， Myanmar’s ambassador to China， addressed the forum on behalf of the LMC co-chair. Wu Jianghao， assistant foreign minister， read State Councilor Wang Yi’s congratulatory letter via video.

Speeches were made by Li Yunze， vice-governor of Sichuan province； Liu Hongwu， vice-chairman of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region； Guo Ruimin， vice-governor of Guizhou province； Li Malin， vice-governor of Yunnan province； Hao Huijie， vicegovernor of Shaanxi province； Kyaw Htun， chief minister of Myanmar’s Shan state； Ngan Phirun， deputy governor of Cambodia’s Siem Reap province； Phoukhong Bannavong， vicegovernor of Vientiane， capital of Laos； and Chayachai Saengin， vice-governor of Thailand’s Sukhothai province.

H.E. Arthayudh Srisamoot， Thai ambassador to China； Pham Trung Nghia， charge d’affaires of the Vietnam embassy in China； consuls general of LMC countries in Nanning， Guangxi province； heads of local governments and friendship organizations of LMC countries； and media representatives attended the forum on site or online. Attendees totaled more than 150.

In his congratulatory letter， Wang Yi， on behalf of the Chinese government， extended warm congratulations on the inaugural forum on Lancang-Mekong Local Government Cooperation. He noted that this year marks the fifth anniversary of the launch of the LMC.

Over the past five years， the LMC has become a dynamic and promising sub-regional cooperation mechanism. Against the backdrop of a resurgent COVID-19 and a torturous economic recovery around the globe， the six LMC countries carried out extensive cooperation against the pandemic， jointly promoted economic growth， and actively strengthened people-topeople and cultural exchanges. Such collaborative efforts have sustained the strong momentum of the LMC， Wang said， adding that the local governments of the six LMC countries enjoy geographical proximity， cultural affinity and great complementarity.

Local cooperation under the LMC framework meets both the needs of regional development and the aspirations of our peoples Wang said， noting： “As the China-Laos Railway has entered cooperation and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership is about to take effect， I hope the local governments will fully harness these favorable conditions and， through deepening cooperation under the New International LandSea Trade Corridor， enhance physical connectivity， expand two-way trade and investment and further improve regional industrial and supply chains.”

Such efforts， he said， will help bring about all-dimensional， highquality and interconnected development in the six countries， and strongly solidify the foundation for the LMC and promotion of regional prosperity and revitalization.

Wang said that our neighbors， especially the Mekong countries， will be the first and biggest beneficiary of the development of China， which is their good neighbor， good friend， good partner and good brother. Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy and committed to a neighborhood policy of amity， sincerity， mutual benefit and inclusiveness， China will work closely with Mekong countries to further develop the Lancang-Mekong Economic Development Belt， work continuously toward a community with a shared future for Lancang-Mekong countries， and usher in a new era of peace and prosperity for our nations， he said.

On behalf of Guangxi， Lan Tianli extended a warm welcome to all the participants. He introduced the great achievements and broad prospects for the region’s reform and openingup. He noted that Guangxi and the five Mekong countries are connected by mountains and rivers and enjoy cultural affinity and a long history of friendly exchanges. There are 43 pairs of friendship cities.

Imports and exports account for over 90 percent of our trade with ASEAN countries， Lan said， adding that Guangxi would like to take the forum as an opportunity to promote synergy between the LMC and the New International Land-Sea Corridor in western China， continue to leverage the China-ASEAN Cooperation Mechanism， jointly promote coordinated regional development， deepen practical cooperation in various fields and improve the well-being of the people.

“We will help improve and strengthen the LMC，” he said.

Lin Songtian said the people of Lancang-Mekong countries are natural cooperative partners and close friendly neighbors sharing the same river.

“Our association initiated the forum with the purpose of implementing the consensus reached at the third Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting and the Sixth LMC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting，” he said， adding that the forum would open up the “l(fā)ast mile” of the cooperation journey taken by the six countries’governments and people and deepen friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation at the subnational level.

The CPAFFC chose Beihai as the venue for the forum “because we would like to share with you and witness together the achievements in planning and building the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor， to fully understand the hub status of the Guangxi Beibu Gulf as an international gateway port， the new advantages of China’s western development and the broad prospect of win-win cooperation and common development with ASEAN countries”， Lin said.

He noted that the completion and opening of the China-Laos Railway recently is an important outcome of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation and the result of the effective implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative in Laos. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership， or RCEP， which took effect in January， will provide greater opportunities for promoting connectivity， integration and common development between China and other countries in the region. Lin said China stands ready to work closely with other countries to pursue a new path of win-win cooperation and common development.

He expressed hope that the local governments of the six LancangMekong countries will carry forward traditional friendship， synergize development strategies， deepen mutually beneficial cooperation， promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges， join hands to meet challenges， promote the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative， enhance connectivity among the LancangMekong countries and achieve win-win cooperation and common development.

On behalf of the LMC co-chair， U Myo Thant Pe offered congratulations on the successful holding of the forum. He spoke highly of the important role the LMC had played in promoting peace and sustainable development of the six countries and the region and commended the Chinese government for propelling and deepening the building of the LMC mechanism.

U Myo Thant Pe said cooperation between local governments is the foundation of the LMC. The forum provides a new platform for friendly exchanges and practical cooperation between the local governments of Lancang-Mekong countries and opens up new areas for the “3+5+X”framework of LMC. He expressed hope that local governments， especially border provinces and cities， will strengthen friendly exchanges， establish and develop more friendship city relations， carry out poverty reduction cooperation and jointly uphold regional prosperity and development.

Representatives of Chinese local governments briefed the forum about their achievements in economic and social development and exchanges and cooperation with the five Mekong countries， especially those between friendship cities. They agreed to fully leverage their respective advantages and promote synergy with Mekong countries at the local level to build the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor， Belt and Road routes and the LMC. They hoped to deepen friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields， work together to build cross-border industrial and supply chains， jointly expand exchanges and cooperation in culture， enhance common development， promote the building of a closer community of shared interests and shared future among Lancang-Mekong countries.

Heads of local governments of Mekong countries spoke highly of the broad benefits the LMC has brought to the economic and social development and the well-being of their peoples. They commended China for setting up a new platform for cooperation between local governments of the six countries. They thanked China and the friendship cities for their strong and valuable support to their respective countries and their fight against COVID-19. They introduced their efforts to fight the outbreak and relevant measures they had taken to promote economic recovery and social development.

They said they were willing to strengthen exchanges with Chinese local governments and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in areas of antiepidemic， agriculture， water resources， economy， trade， investment， logistics， tourism， education， environmental protection， traditional medicine and culture. They said the moves would bring more tangible benefits to the local governments and people of the six countries so that they would jointly uphold the sustainable development and common prosperity of the LMC.

In his concluding remarks， the CPAFFC’s Lin said the first forum on Lancang-Mekong Local Government Cooperation had reached broad consensus — “three points of which are worthy of joint implementation”.

First， we need to give priority to development and stick to the principle of win-win cooperation for common development， he said.

“We should take the opening of the China-Laos Railway and the RCEP as opportunities to deepen cooperation on the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor and turn economic complementarity into a driving force for common development.

“Second， we need to put people first and promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges and cooperation to bring more benefits to our peoples and win greater public understanding and support.

“Third， we need to promote justice and make the pie of common development bigger and more solid. We need to jointly uphold the common values of mankind， firmly uphold international fairness and justice and safeguard regional peace， stability and development interests.”

The forum issued the Chair’s Statement of the Forum on LancangM e k o n g L o c a l G o v e r n m e n t Cooperation， agreeing to hold the second forum at an appropriate time in 2022. Efforts will also be made to promote the institutionalization of the forum and to encourage more local governments of the six countries to participate in it for common development.

Before the opening ceremony， the participants watched a video— New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor — produced by the Guangxi Development and Reform Commission. The meticulously made video vividly displayed Guangxi’s geographical advantages and development achievements， enhanced the understanding of all parties on promoting cooperation in the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor and building the Lancang-Mekong Economic Development Belt. It won unanimous praise.

Photos were provided by CGTN， China News Service and Beihai Daily， among other contributors.