Ten years on, the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) has grown steadily. At this pivotal juncture, journalists from the five Mekong countries are documenting cooperation on the ground and telling the Lancang-Mekong story together.
Soy Sopheap, Director of DAP Media Center, Cambodia
For me, the core message of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation in 2025 is the region's unwavering commitment to peace and cooperation.
Launched in 2016, the LMC has supported growing trade, set up a dedicated cooperation fund, and strengthened joint efforts against transnational crime. More importantly, it represents our six countries' shared aspiration for stability and a better life. China-Cambodia relations are now rock-solid, and the two sides have built a community with a shared future to stand together through good times and bad. China is not only Cambodia's largest source of investment and a comprehensive strategic partner, but also a true friend that lends a hand in times of need.
Looking back over the past decade, the biggest story is not any single project, but the fact that countries in the region have continued to choose dialogue over confrontation despite rough waters. The achievements of the LMC inspire pride. To move forward, the region needs more effective ways to manage disputes, fairer approaches to sharing resources, and stronger bonds of trust. Cambodians seek development, but value stability even more. We appreciate the opportunities the LMC has brought, and we hope it will become an even firmer pillar of regional peace in the next decade. The most important story in the Lancang-Mekong region will always be ordinary people building better lives, children growing up in a safe environment, and cultural heritage being passed on from one generation to the next. May the waters of the Lancang-Mekong continue to nurture unity and hope.
Katai Manosa, News Anchor and Reporter at Lao National Radio
In 2025, the six LMC countries secured major progress on connectivity. The China-Laos Railway has expanded passenger and freight services, strengthening its role in regional links. Notably, China and Laos signed an intergovernmental agreement on the "Juxtaposed Border Control" arrangements for the cross-border railway. Under this system, passengers and cargo will complete border and customs checks for both sides at one location, making clearance faster and easier. As rail links extend, countries are advancing greener logistics and smarter customs procedures to support low-carbon cross-border trade and the global sustainable development agenda.
Powered by the railway, China-Laos cooperation entered a new phase of high-quality development over the past year. Now, the railway not only carries passengers, but also runs regular dedicated trains for agricultural products. Exports of beef, durians and bananas to China have risen sharply. More Chinese tourists are also entering Laos by rail, boosting services in Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng.
In December 2025, the Fifth Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge (Bokeo-Bueng Kan) officially opened, strengthening Laos-Thailand connectivity and improving overland access from Laos to Vietnam's deep-water ports such as Da Nang and Vung Tau.
Laos is also working to become the battery of Asia by expanding exports of wind and solar power to neighboring countries, making green cooperation a growing highlight.
The six countries have also stepped up cross-border law-enforcement operations against telecom fraud and drug trafficking. Several scam sites have been dismantled, improving regional security and strengthening confidence in the recovery of investment and tourism.
As a reporter constantly in the field, I have seen firsthand the changes the LMC has brought to Laos. For ordinary people, these changes are not found in big slogans, but in everyday details. Life feels safer and calmer. Access to water and electricity is more reliable. Children can take clean and punctual trains. Durian farmers can pick fruit at dawn, ship it to China on the China-Laos Railway the same day, and receive payment on their phones a few days later. More young people are choosing to stay in their hometowns and finding jobs they value at logistics hubs, tourist sites, and renewable energy projects.
U Myat Khine，President of Myanmar Journalists Association and Editor-in-Chief of Popular Journal
From November 26 to December 2, 2025, I had the privilege of visiting Kunming and Qujing in China for the closing events of the 2025 Lancang-Mekong Audiovisual Week, where I participated in the Quality Learning Program and the Lancang-Mekong Eyes on Yunnan tour. During the event, participants from the six LMC countries documented local life and experienced Yunnan's culture while exchanging skills and ideas. This event set a strong example of cultural exchange and people-to-people connectivity across the Lancang-Mekong region, and it reflects the six countries' steady efforts to build a community with a shared future.
The LMC has come a long way over the past decade. In 2025, it showed renewed dynamism and a more pragmatic focus. I most appreciate its people-centered approach in which shared development advances while respecting each country's national circumstances. People-to-people exchange has extended into deeper fields such as education, healthcare, and youth entrepreneurship, fostering long-term mutual understanding across the region. The LMC has also made breakthroughs in information sharing and capacity building. Media outlets across the six countries are working more closely, helping Lancang-Mekong stories spread further with greater accuracy.
Looking ahead, I hope the LMC will keep working on livelihood issues. Media outlets and think tanks should play a stronger bridging role so that cooperation reaches grassroots communities more directly. As media professionals, we will keep telling the story of how the Lancang-Mekong countries work together for shared development.
Suwimon Jinamorn, Creative and Digital Content (Production) Manager of PPTV HD Channel 36, Thailand
In 2025, the six LMC countries joined forces to combat cross-border scams. This is not just a routine law-and-order issue—it is central to security and stability across the Lancang-Mekong region. It is encouraging to see faster information sharing, better coordination, and a shift from fragmented actions to joint regional operations toward a common goal. Countries are addressing root causes through multi-level cooperation, relying less on agreements on paper and more on practical action. This has strengthened the region's security and given the media a firmer basis to guide public opinion and ease public concerns.
LMC 2.0 has made the region's development blueprint clearer. In 2025, we welcomed a more pragmatic agenda through which cooperation in trade, resource development, and technological innovation translated into concrete actions. One example is PM2.5 control in northern Thailand, where LMC partners stepped up joint prevention and control through closer coordination at both national and local levels.
The six Lancang-Mekong countries are closely interconnected. With joint efforts from all sides, the LMC will welcome a new golden decade and make greater contributions to building a peaceful and prosperous Lancang-Mekong community with a shared future.
Duong Quang Tung, Director of the New Media Center at VTC News, Vietnam
The most significant milestone for the LMC in 2025 was reaching its first golden decade. Looking back on the past 10 years, member countries have come closer around a shared resolve to deepen cooperation and inject new momentum into regional cooperation.
Guided by the principle of extensive consultation, joint contributions, and shared benefits, the LMC has delivered practical results. It focuses on sustainable development, prioritizes issues such as the equitable and sustainable use of water resources, and seeks to balance economic development with ecological protection. Vietnam, as an LMC member, has played an active role and contributed to these efforts.
Over the past decade, the LMC Special Fund has backed hundreds of small but beautiful projects in all six countries. Covering livelihood, infrastructure, and environmental protection, the projects have brought tangible benefits to local communities. Amid complex global challenges, LMC countries have strengthened connectivity and expanded trade and people-to-people exchange, providing strong support for steady regional growth and setting an example for regional cooperation.
In 2025, Lancang-Mekong Cooperation delivered solid results, and all sides clarified the priorities for the next stage, demonstrating a firm commitment to shared development and mutual benefit. Looking ahead, the LMC holds great potential. We hope that all parties will work together through concrete measures to broaden cooperation on technology-enabled development and green growth while deepening friendships and that the media will continue to communicate the practical focus of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation.