On 16 October 2015, Mr. Zhang Jiuhuan, former Chinese Ambassador to Thailand led a Chinese delegation to pay a courtesy call on Mr. Noppadon Theppitak, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as Thailand’s Senior Official of Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC).

Mr. Noppadon Theppitak and Mr. Zhang Jiuhuan exchanged views on the development of Mekong-Lancang Cooperation as well as its future direction. Recognizing huge potentials of the subregion, both sides reiterated the significance of MLC, which is a new framework of cooperation between China and 5 Mekong Countries (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Viet Nam, and Thailand). Based on equality among Member Countries, MLC is a comprehensive framework that focuses on mutual benefits and is in line with the 3 pillars of the ASEAN Community building process.

Member Countries have finalized the Concept Paper of this framework, which will be endorsed at the 1st MLC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting to be held on 12 November 2015 in Jinghong, Yunnan. The Meeting will also consider early harvest projects and issue a Joint PressCommuniqué that will mark the official establishment of MLC.

After the courtesy call, Deputy Permanent Secretary also gave an interview to Yunnan TV on the matter.