Lancang-Mekong Cooperation enhances mutual trust, understanding, friendship among member countries: Cambodian diplomat

PHNOM PENH, March 22 (Xinhua) -- A senior Cambodian diplomat said here on Wednesday that the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) has enhanced mutual trust, understanding, and friendship among the LMC countries over the past seven years.

The LMC countries include China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Speaking at an LMC Week 2023 event in Phnom Penh, Foreign Affairs Ministry's Secretary of State Sok Soken said this year marks the seventh LMC anniversary and that this framework has demonstrated its dynamism and resilience in promoting win-win cooperation and revitalizing the economies of LMC countries and beyond.

"The mutual trust, understanding, and friendship between the governments and peoples of Lancang-Mekong countries have consistently reached new heights through our practical and effective LMC cooperation," he told some 250 participants at the event.

Soken praised China for continuing to play a noble role in the sustainable development of the LMC countries, saying that the LMC Special Fund has importantly contributed to boosting real socio-economic progress for people in the sub-region.

"I would like to thank China for its leading role and strong commitment to advancing the LMC framework to make the initiative a great success in many aspects," he said.

The official said the projects Cambodia has received from the LMC Special Fund cover many areas, such as education, health, media, tourism, information and technology, cultural and religious exchange, agriculture, environment, water resources, and poverty alleviation.

"These projects have produced much-needed tangible outcomes with immediate impacts on the socio-economic development of our country," Soken said.

Cambodia will continue to promote the LMC as one of the most relevant sub-regional platforms to support multilateralism, he said, adding that the kingdom stands ready to work closely with China and other Mekong countries to continue to carry out the success of good cooperation under the LMC mechanism.