Lancang-Mekong River Cooperation: Water partnership fosters community of shared future

The Lancang-Mekong River runs through six countries, providing major economic opportunities. But it also creates challenges like drought, flooding and pollution. Managing water resources has therefore, been a priority and multilateral cooperation is a common choice. 

In this school laboratory, students are analyzing sediment pollutants. The results will determine the level of water pollution caused by humans. It's part of a training program for senior professionals at Lancang-Mekong Water Resources Cooperation.

KY SEREYVATANAK Graduate Student from Cambodia "What I'm interested in environment is waste-water treatment. Because nowadays, my country is developed, more and more industries are building every day. It's very important to have waste-water treatment in those industries."

THEERAPON THAMMAHORA Thailand's Ministry of Natural Resources & Environment "If they need to have a developing, not only for water resources development, we're ready to support them with high technology and advantage for the resources, for the architecture cluster, industrial cluster, household cluster."

Hohai University in eastern China's Nanjing City started this joint program in 2017. It now involves more than 80 students from the Mekong region, complete with Chinese government scholarships.

HE XIANGQI Deputy Director-General of Boundary and Ocean Affairs China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs "China has created many opportunities and platforms for the training of water conservancy personnel and the exchanges of experts. China will continue to promote mutual benefit and mutual trust with Mekong countries by enhancing consultations, exchange of experience, and projects cooperation."

MENG QINGSHENG Jinghong, Yunnan Province "This is the Lancang River that originates from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. When it flows out of China, it becomes the Mekong, and goes through five Southeast Asian countries. In March 2016, the nations launched the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation mechanism, to tackle common challenges. And efforts to promote water resources management have topped their agenda."

According to the Sanya Declaration, the Lancang-Mekong countries launched the Water Resources Cooperation Center in 2017. Its aim, to enhance sustainable water resources management, in five key areas: technical exchanges, capacity building, drought and flood management, data and information sharing and conducting joint research and analysis.

HE XIANGQI Deputy Director-General of Boundary and Ocean Affairs China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs "In flood seasons, China shares hydrological data with five downstream countries. In 2016 and 2020, when Lancang-Mekong basin suffered a severe drought, China overcame its own difficulties and increased discharge in emergency to alleviate the difficulties of downstream countries."

Last December, the first Ministerial Meeting of Lancang-Mekong Water Resources Cooperation took place in Beijing. Participants agreed to respect the rights and interests of countries in the development and use of water resources.

In February this year, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced China would consider sharing hydrological information with Mekong countries.

ALISON BARTLE Publisher, Hydropower & Dams "The dialogue is strong. It's in place. Maybe 10 or 20 years ago, it wouldn't have been so easy. But today, even with six countries on the Lancang-Mekong, there seems to be a very good collaboration. The pathway seems to be open for good agreements. And if those agreements are established to the mutual benefit of all the parties, I can't see that being a very tense situation, as long as there's a good understanding."

Hohai University is planning to expand its training program.

KY SEREYVATANAK Graduate Student from Cambodia "Mekong River is not just an important natural resource, but a friendship of all countries along the Mekong River. Because all countries along the Mekong River have a deep connection, share culture to each other."

Thanks to a five-year action plan, Lancang-Mekong countries will work together to build a stronger water partnership and protect resources and the environment in the region. Meng Qingsheng, CGTN.

Editor: John Li