“Join Hands on the Building of a Community of Shared Future and
Modernization among Mekong-Lancang Countries”
1. We, the Heads of Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia, the People's Republic of China, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the Kingdom of Thailand, and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, held the 4th Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC) Leaders' Meeting on December 25th, 2023 through virtual meeting under the theme of "Join Hands on the Building of a Community of Shared Future and Modernization among Mekong-Lancang Countries".
2. In the face of major changes unseen in a century and with a focus on the future of the peoples of all countries in the region, we should continue to enhance mutual trust and respect, synergize national development strategies, deepen practical cooperation, respond to challenges collectively, work together to promote peace, stability, and sustainable development in the Mekong-Lancang sub-region, and make greater efforts towards building a better Community of Shared Future of Peace and Prosperity among Mekong-Lancang countries.
3. We reaffirm our commitments to working together to address common challenges. We agree to advance a people–centered development of the Lancang-Mekong Economic Development Belt (LMEDB), and seize opportunities from new scientific and technological advancement, as well as industrial transformation to boost economic recovery, regional prosperity and revitalization. We will further deepen cooperation across various fields, work hand in hand to promote sustainable economic growth, and accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
4. We reaffirm our determination to boost the MLC under the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, respect for and compliance with the United Nations Charter and international laws as well as ASEAN Charter, domestic laws and regulations of member countries. We will continue to uphold the concepts of equality, development, practicality and efficiency, openness and inclusiveness. We support synergy between the MLC and the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) 2025, the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Work Plan (2021-2025), and the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework (ACRF), as well as the Joint Development Plan between ACMECS and China. We also support high-quality cooperation under China's Belt and Road Initiative, Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, and Global Civilization Initiative.
5. We agree to adhere to a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable vision, and encourage furthering non-traditional security cooperation on the basis of respecting the sovereignty of each country. We welcome the Lancang-Mekong Integrated Law Enforcement and Security Cooperation Center (LMLECC), and cooperation with the LMLECC on a voluntary basis. We also welcome regular communication among law enforcement and security authorities among the six countries.
6. We stress the need to work together to further enhance practical cooperation in the field of law enforcement, strengthen the fight against cross-border online gambling, telecommunication frauds, illicit drug trafficking, human trafficking, terrorism, cybercrimes, smuggling of firearms and other criminal activities, to safeguard social stability, as well as the safety of people's lives and property in the sub-region.
7. We welcome the Five-Year Development Plan for LMC Cross-Border Economic Cooperation, and agree to effectively implement the China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), promote the high-quality implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), further enhance the facilitation of regional trade and investment, and reduce non-tariff trade barriers, as well as support the post-ASEAN Community Vision 2025. We also agree to raise the awareness and application of free trade agreements among micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), enhance the interoperability of rules and regulations, improve the business-friendly ecosystem, and continuously enhance the level of regional economic integration.
8. We appreciate the positive progress made in Mekong-Lancang production capacity and connectivity cooperation. We highly praise the conclusion of the Three-Year Plan of Action on LMC Production Capacity Cooperation among Lancang-Mekong Countries (2024-2026), and agree to further tap potential, and promote high-quality development of Mekong-Lancang production capacity cooperation.
9. We support the relevant authorities in charge of connectivity cooperation of the six countries to expedite the formulation of the Plan on Connectivity Cooperation Among Lancang-Mekong Countries to promote the implementation of more key projects, and to foster closer partnership among the six countries in Mekong-Lancang region.
10. We agree to strengthen exchanges on new energy policies, and cooperation in new energy fields including electric vehicles and photovoltaics, energy conservation and efficiency, low-carbon, and sustainable development.
11. We agree to steadily implement the Customs cooperation projects among Mekong-Lancang countries, explore cooperation on Smart Customs, Smart Border, Smart Connectivity, actively build a Smart Customs cooperation partnership, promote smart interconnection of supply chains, and build on the achievements of international law enforcement cooperation such as the Mekong Dragon Operation. We also agree to accelerate the promotion of Single Window and Authorized Economic Operator (AEO), strengthen the technical communication on market access of agri-food products, and allow more high-quality and characteristic agri-food products from Mekong countries to be exported to China, facilitating safe trade in the Mekong-Lancang sub-region.
12. We appreciate the many tangible achievements made in the Mekong-Lancang water resources cooperation and agree to improve the framework of Mekong-Lancang water resources cooperation. We highly praise the conclusion of the Five-Year Plan of Action on Lancang-Mekong Water Resources Cooperation (2023-2027), and agree to continue to regularly hold the Ministerial Meeting of Mekong-Lancang Water Resources Cooperation and the Lancang-Mekong Water Resources Cooperation Forum, and actively promote exchanges and cooperation in sustainable development and utilization of water resources, hydrological information, disaster risk reduction, capacity building, personnel training, and whole basin management.
13. We recall with satisfaction that China successfully held the Third Lancang-Mekong Water Resources Cooperation Forum, during which the six countries adopted The Recommendations of the Third Lancang-Mekong Water Resources Cooperation Forum and Cambodia successfully hosted the Fourth Joint Working Group on Mekong-Lancang Water Resources Cooperation, during which the six countries were finalizing the Five-Year Plan of Action on Lancang-Mekong Water Resources Cooperation (2023-2027). We look forward to Viet Nam's timely hosting of the Second Ministerial Meeting of Lancang-Mekong Water Resources Cooperation. The Mekong countries appreciate China's continuous provision of year-round hydrological data of the Lancang River. We support six countries in building the Lancang-Mekong Water Resources Cooperation Information Sharing Platform and ensuring the smooth operation of its network. We agree to continuously implement the Plan on Lancang-Mekong Water Resources Benefitting the People to improve people's well-being in member countries in the river basin.
14. We welcome the joint formulation of the Five-Year Plan of Action on Lancang-Mekong Agricultural Cooperation (2023-2027) by the agricultural authorities of the six countries, and highly praise the steady and efficient implementation of the LMC Bumper Harvest Projects, which has made positive contributions to improving the agricultural and rural development of member countries. We encourage further improvement of the MLC Joint Working Group on Agriculture, giving full play to the Lancang-Mekong Agricultural Cooperation Center and exploring the possibility of building the Lancang-Mekong Comprehensive Information Platform for Agricultural Economy, Trade and Technology. We agree to support green and sustainable development of agriculture, promote the revitalization of rural regions and agriculture, enhance the competitiveness of agricultural products in the six countries, strengthen the capacity building of MSMEs and entrepreneurs in agri-business to improve their participation in the agricultural value chain, and promote youth participation as well as employment in the agricultural and rural fields.
15. We welcome the consensus among the Science and Technology authorities on establishing a meeting mechanism for the LMC Innovation Corridor, including regular meetings, policy coordination, and discussions on emerging technology trends, cooperation platforms and projects. We agree to further leverage the role of scientific and technological innovation in the MLC, deepen scientific and technological innovation cooperation in areas such as health, digital economy, and green development, and enhance international exchanges on innovation and entrepreneurship. We welcome the signing of the Action Plan for Enhancing Metrological Advancement and Mutual Recognition in Mekong-Lancang Countries (2023-2028) by the metrological authorities of the six countries.
16. We agree to continue to enhance and fully leverage the status and role of the Lancang-Mekong Environmental Cooperation Center, discuss higher level of cooperation in environmental area, implement the Lancang-Mekong Environmental Cooperation Strategy and Action Framework (2023-2027), and promote its synergy with the environmental protection plans of the six countries. We also agree to continue to implement the Green Lancang-Mekong Initiative, focusing on promoting the capacity building of environmental governance and low-carbon development in the region, the construction of the Lancang-Mekong Knowledge Hub for Green, Low-Carbon and Sustainable Infrastructure, advancing nature-based solutions in resolving human-nature-related issues, enhancing cooperation on sustainable ecosystem management and biodiversity conservation, and strengthening communication with other relevant sub-regional mechanisms. In addition, we agree to ensure habitat connectivity along the Mekong-Lancang region to maintain and safeguard both aquatic and terrestrial wildlife which provide services in supporting the well-being of the people in the Mekong-Lancang River Basin. We also agree to promote more cooperation in order to conserve endangered species in the Mekong-Lancang region. We are also determined to work together to collectively tackle environmental challenges faced by the sub-region, including climate change mitigation and adaptation and trans-boundary haze pollution.
17. We agree to strengthen cooperation on tourism and civil aviation, support the advancement of the Lancang-Mekong Tourist Cities Cooperation Alliance, and encourage more cities to join and participate in the alliance and its cooperation, so as to further promote the sustainable recovery and development of the tourism industry. We encourage regulatory capacity building, technical cooperation and exchanges, scientific and technical innovation, and joint training initiatives cooperation in civil aviation areas. We consider the establishment of the Lancang-Mekong Aviation Development & Cooperation Alliance (LMAA) to be beneficial, and encourage airlines from the six countries to launch or add new routes and flights according to market demand, in order to better promote economy, trade, tourism as well as people-to-people exchanges, and facilitate regional economic recovery. We reiterate the importance of tourism sector as a driving force for people-to-people connectivity as stated in the Chair's Statement of the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation and Vientiane Declaration of the Third Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC) Leaders' Meeting, and encourage to carry out more dialogues and cooperation. We also encourage to promote intra-Lancang-Mekong travel through various ways of traveling by supporting the development of tourism infrastructure.
18. We reaffirm that the MLC will continue to benefit the people, advance local government cooperation, and hold the Forum on Lancang-Mekong Local Government Cooperation. We encourage further cooperation in areas such as poverty reduction, women, youth, technical vocational educational and training (TVET), community development, labour migration, healthy and active aging, and the disabled, in order to cultivate more grassroots support for the MLC.
19. We support the continued and enhanced cooperation in social and cultural fields, including cultural heritage preservation, radio and television programs, media, and sports. We highly evaluate the hosting of the annual celebration of the MLC Week in the six member countries, and encourage various departments as well as local governments to continue holding various activities, such as the LMC Media Summit, Lancang-Mekong International Video and Photography Week, and LMC China Sepaktakraw Open, in order to deepen mutual understanding and trust among the peoples of the six countries.
20. We acknowledge the achievements made by six countries in religious areas and encourage the strengthening and development of religious cooperation, promotion of more dialogues and cooperation between different channels, including research and exhibition, exchange experience and delegation, international events/festivals.
21. We appreciate the LMC Special Fund, which has supported over 700 projects on water resources, agriculture, capacity building, poverty reduction, health, women empowerment, culture, religion and other fields initiated by the six countries. We praise the efforts and efficiency of the six countries to implement the above-mentioned projects. We welcome the LMC Special Fund by China, and call for further improvement of project quality and implementation efficiency, and greater impacts, to better serve the economic and social development and help improve people's livelihood in the six countries.
22. We reaffirm continuous efforts for increased synergy between the MLC and other regional and sub-regional cooperation frameworks, including Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Greater Mekong Sub-region Economic Cooperation Program (GMS), the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS), and the Mekong River Commission (MRC) among others. We welcome international organizations and institutions such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to actively participate in the MLC and jointly promote the process of regional economic integration.
23. We highly commend the tireless efforts and important contributions made by the joint working groups in various priority areas, cooperation centers, the MLC National Secretariats/ Coordination Units of the six member countries, and agree to further strengthen institutional building. We note that with continuous development of MLC, it is necessary to actively and carefully study the possibility of setting up the MLC International Secretariat upon consensus.
24. We support the continued convening of the LMC Eminent Persons Forum, and advancing of practical cooperation in various fields in a coordinated manner.
25. We express appreciation to China and Myanmar for the excellent arrangements of the meeting, and reiterate readiness to work together to implement the important achievements and consensus of the meeting.