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Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongsavanh Phomvihane, led the Lao delegation to the 10th Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting under the theme “Golden Decade: Staying Committed to Building a Better Community through Solidarity.”
(KPL) Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongsavanh Phomvihane, led the Lao delegation to the 10th Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting under the theme “Golden Decade: Staying Committed to Building a Better Community through Solidarity.”
The meeting was co-chaired by Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs of China Wang Yi, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand Maris Sangiampongsa with participation from foreign ministers and representatives of all MLC member countries.
Delegates reviewed the progress of cooperation, noting the rapid expansion of the MLC framework and its tangible benefits for the Mekong region. Key achievements included the implementation of the outcomes of the 4th MLC Leaders’ Meeting, the 9th MLC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, and the Five-Year Plan of Action (2023–2027) under three pillars: political and security cooperation, sustainable development, and cultural and social exchange.
Five priority areas were highlighted connectivity, water resource management, agriculture and poverty alleviation, cross-border trade, and industrial capacity building. Since 2017, the MLC Special Fund has supported socio-economic development in the region, with the Lao PDR implementing 100 projects worth over USD 26 million.
Discussions focused on future cooperation, including modernizing economic infrastructure, promoting digital and innovation-driven growth, improving water resource governance, addressing non-traditional security challenges, and advancing human resource development—particularly in agriculture, clean energy, and tourism.
The meeting adopted three key documents: the 2024 Progress Report on the Five-Year Plan of Action, the 2025 Joint Research Report by the Global Center for Mekong Studies on security cooperation under the MLC, and the 2025 MLC Special Fund Project List.
In his remarks, Mr. Thongsavanh Phomvihane praised China’s proactive contributions to regional development over the past nine years, especially in advancing the Lao PDR’s socio-economic progress. He called for deeper collaboration in green development, digital transformation, and capacity building ahead of the 5th MLC Leaders’ Meeting later in 2025.
The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation of the commitment to a closer, more effective MLC partnership aimed at ensuring shared prosperity across the Mekong region.
KPL
