Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Hang (C) attends the 9th Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Chiang Mai, Thailand, August 16, 2024

The event also saw the participation of representatives from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and China.

Addressing the event, Nguyen highlighted five key achievements and contributions of the cooperation mechanism in recent times, including closer coordination mechanisms, more effective and practical cooperation, broader areas of collaboration, deeper involvement of various social sectors, and more tangible benefits for the people.

She put forward several important proposals to realize the development vision endorsed by the Mekong-Lancang leaders, emphasizing that a modern and developed Mekong-Lancang region must be built on the foundation of ensuring seamless trade, investment, and connectivity among the member countries.

The Vietnamese diplomat underlined the need to expand markets, strengthen sustainable supply chains, promote transport infrastructure connectivity, prioritize enhancing scientific and technological capabilities and foster innovation by effectively implementing the Mekong-Lancang Innovation Corridor.

To build a green, sustainable, and inclusive Mekong-Lancang region, the member countries need to closely coordinate in managing and using natural resources and responding to climate change, she said.

The official affirmed that Viet Nam supports the initiative to further strengthen Mekong-Lancang cooperation on water resources, and proposed the countries strengthen collaboration in flood and drought management, share hydrological data, conduct joint research, and consider establishing a Mekong-Lancang Water Day to raise awareness of sustainable management, use, and protection of the water resources in the region.

The Mekong-Lancang cooperation should continue to contribute to fostering friendly neighborly relations and deep ties among the people of the six countries, while promoting a people-centered approach, Nguyen stressed, noting that this should serve as a foundation for the development of Mekong-Lancang cooperation in the next phase.

Towards the 10th founding anniversary of the Mekong-Lancang cooperation mechanism in 2025, Viet Nam proposed strengthening and further diversifying people-to-people and youth exchanges, and connections between localities and businesses, and seeking new cooperation initiatives from the six countries' young people, she said.

Viet Nam's proposals and contributions were applauded by other countries and included in documents on the Mekong-Lancang cooperation orientation in the coming time.

With the theme "Towards a Safer and Cleaner Mekong-Lancang Community", the member countries proposed many new ideas to seize opportunities from new development trends in digital transformation, green transformation, scientific and technological advances, and application of artificial intelligence to serve development.