Chinese Minister of Water Resources Li Guoying speaks during the 4th Mekong River Commission (MRC) Summit in Vientiane, Laos

On April 5, the Fourth Summit of the Mekong River Commission(MRC) was convened in Vientiane, Lao PDR. Li Guoying, Minister of Water Resources attended the summit and made a speech at the opening ceremony on behalf of the People’s Republic of China.

Li pointed that the Lancang-Mekong River is the mother river for the people along its banks. It is also a valuable resource and common asset for all the riparian countries. It is the common aspiration of all people along the Lancang-Mekong River to promote the sustainable utilization of water resources and protect the ecological environment in the region. China has scientifically regulated the cascade hydropower stations on the Lancang River to combat heavy droughts and floods by regulating the excess and the replenishing when in drought. When a major flood strikes the Lancang River basin and may cause flooding disasters to the riparian countries, the cascade reservoirs hold back part of the floodwater and reduce the flood peak. When drought happens along the Mekong River, the cascade reservoirs release the floodwater previously stored in bigger-than-usual volume so as to meet demand of downstream water use. When severe droughts hit the Lancang-Mekong River in 2016 and 2019, despite of receiving nearly 20% less of the usual inflow to the Lancang River, China made every efforts to ensure proper discharge downstream, and carried out emergency water supply with a total volume of 12.65 billion cubic meters at the request of downstream countries, effectively helping the Mekong countries cope with droughts and preventing the extreme drought conditions from escalating into disasters.

Li noted that China is pursuing a path of modernization that takes on its own features. The Chinese way to modernization upholds peace and the harmony between man and nature. China and the Mekong countries are developing countries and are facing valuable development opportunity, urgent demands for further development, and diverse challenges. The Lancang-Mekong cooperation has a solid foundation, huge potential and broad future. China is ready to work with Mekong countries to share opportunities, pursue cooperation and promote development under the guidance of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, all proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, and jointly build a Lancang-Mekong community with a shared future in the new era.

Li made three proposals in his speech. First, collaboratively promoting development and prosperity in the region. We need to cope with the complex and ever-changing security challenges with a win-win mindset, build a stronger and more resilient Lancang-Mekong economic belt by consultation, joint development and co-benefits, so as to deliver tangible benefits to people in all countries and contribute to the vision of sustainable development and common prosperity in the region. Second, collaboratively building an even closer community with a shared future. The Lancang-Mekong cooperation should be led by the 6 countries on our own. We need to consult and discuss with each other when matters arise. We need to fully respect the legitimate rights to water resources development and utilization by all riparian countries and while taking care of each other’s interests and concerns. Third, collaboratively upgrading the quality of water resources cooperation to make it deeper and more concrete. China will further deepen Lancang-Mekong water resources cooperation, enhance basin-wide international exchange and cooperation in the fields of water resources development and utilization, hydrometeorology, disaster prevention and reduction, information sharing, capacity building and personnel training, etc, and provide a strong water security guarantee for people’s peaceful and stable life and dynamic economic and social development along the Lancang-Mekong River.

The 4th Mekong River Commission (MRC) Summit in Vientiane, Laos, April 5, 2023

The MRC was established in April 1995 with its member countries of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Viet Nam. In 1996, China and Myanmar became the MRC dialogue partners. The MRC Summit is held once every four years. The fourth summit was hosted by Laos.

Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the Summit. Heads of government and representatives of the MRC member countries adopted the Vientiane Declaration at the closing stage of the summit.