Lancang-Mekong Cooperation entering new growth phase: Chinese envoy

VIENTIANE - Chinese Ambassador to Laos Wang Wentian on Friday said the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) has entered the phase of further growth from the phase of nurturing.

Wang made the remarks when addressing the LMC Week held in the Lao capital of Vientiane.

Under the framework of the cooperation mechanism, China has set up 10-billion-yuan ($1.58 billion) concessional loans, a $5-billion special loan on production capacity cooperation and a $5-billion preferential export buyers' credits to support infrastructure and production capacity cooperation in the sub-region, said Wang.

China has also set up a special purpose fund of $300 million for five years to support the small and medium cooperation projects proposed by the six countries, he added.

"LMC has achieved better-than-expected results, and is entering a phase of further growth from the phase of nurturing," he said.

Institutional platform building has made steady progress, with a four-tiered meeting mechanism in place consisting of meeting among leaders, foreign ministers, senior officials and working groups, he said.

Major development projects are moving forward smoothly, Wang said, adding that financial support that China pledged is being delivered, and construction of the China-Laos Railway and the China-Thailand Railway has been underway.

Wang said he believed in the next two years, as the co-chair countries, China and Laos will work closely to implement the consensus reached in January at the second leaders' meeting in Cambodia and actively plan for the next step.

Over 200 representatives from the Lao foreign ministry, ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) embassies and other foreign embassies and missions participated in the event.

The LMC is a sub-regional cooperation mechanism connecting six countries along the river, Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.