Chongqing “Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Week” 2023 & Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Design Award Building the Bridge of Art Among Lancang-Mekong Countries Through Mutual Learning

By Liu Dingrui

On April 7， Chongqing “Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Week” 2023 & Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Design Award kicked off. Members of the diplomatic corps from Mekong Countries such as H.E. Arthayudh Srisamoot， Ambassador of Thailand to China， Prak Phannara， Minister-Counselor of the Cambodian Embassy in China， and Zaw Linn Oo， Consul-General of Myanmar in Chongqing， Feng Zimin， Deputy Director-General of the Foreign Affairs Office of Chongqing Municipal Peoples Government， Zhao Ling， Deputy Secretary of CPC Committee of China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration， Zhang Chuan， Vice Mayor of Bishan District Peoples Government， and other officials attended the launching ceremony. Zuo Wenxing， Counsellor of Department of Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Peoples Republic of China delivered an online speech. Representatives of Royal University of Phnom Penh in Cambodia and National University of Laos sent congratulation videos.

Inspired by Chongqings speeding efforts of building the ILSTC， the Organizing Committee cooperated with Chongqing， setting the theme of this years Award as “Connect， Communicate， Change” and released the poster and video of the Chongqing “Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Week” 2023 & Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Design Award. With the aim of carrying forward friendship and deepening cooperation between Lancang-Mekong countries， the Award demonstrated the spirit of Lancang-Mekong cooperation through the artful designs， fully reflecting the vision of closer people-to-people ties and win-win cooperation among the people of the Lancang-Mekong countries and contributing to greater political trust， economic ties， cultural exchanges， and friendship among Lancang-Mekong countries.

Zuo Wenxing said in the video speech that Lancang-Mekong cooperation is a new sub-regional cooperation mechanism featuring joint consultation and contribution， and benefits shared by six countries. Over the past seven years since the launch of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation， the mechanism has been increasingly improved and the areas of cooperation have continued to expand， bringing tangible benefits to the people of the six countries. Chongqing coordinated resources in various fields and actively participated in the Lancang-Mekong cooperation in recent years， contributing to practical cooperation between China and the Mekong countries. She hoped that this Award would further promote mutual understanding and people-to-people ties among the youth of the six countries. Lancang-Mekong Cooperation China Secretariat will continue to support the work of all parties and hopes that all can continue to draw their strengths to make greater contributions to bringing the Lancang-Mekong cooperation to a new level.

“In recent years， thanks to the continuous efforts to deepen the exchanges and cooperation with countries along the Mekong River， Chongqing has established eight pairs of sister cities or provinces with Phnom Penh in Cambodia， Bangkok in Thailand， Champasak Province in Laos， Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam， etc.，” Feng Zimin said. He also said that focusing on the development of the Center for International Exchanges in Central and Western China， Chongqing has successfully held a series of important events under the framework of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation， such as the 6th Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers Meeting， and the Lancang-Mekong Tourist Cities Cooperation Alliance Conference & Lancang-Mekong Mayor Forum on Culture and Tourism. Chongqing will continue to work hand in hand with all parties concerned to contribute its wisdom and strength to the building of a community with shared future for the Lancang-Mekong countries.

Zhang Chuan said that Bishan District attaches great importance to its opening up， and will leverage the resources such as Sino-Singapore （Chongqing） Science and Technology City， Chongqing-ASEAN Cooperation Center and Myanmar Promotion Center to deepen international cooperation， showcase the image of Bishan District to the world， and inject strong impetus into high-quality economic and social development.

The Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Design Award is an international event jointly hosted by multiple institutions in the Lancang-Mekong countries， including China Center for International Communication Development， Central Academy of Fine Arts， Yunnan University， Yunnan International Communication Center for South and Southeast Asia， Sichuan Fine Arts Institute， Royal University of Phnom Penh in Cambodia， National University of Laos， Bangkok University in Thailand， and Fuqing Language and Computer School in Mandalay， Myanmar. Since 2020， the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Design Award has been held regularly， and it has become an art design event with high visibility and influence in the region， as well as a bridge of art that connects the six Lancang-Mekong countries closely together.