H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, paid an official visit to Myanmar during 3-4 July 2022 to attend the 7th Mekong - Lancang Cooperation (MLC) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Bagan, co-chaired by Myanmar and China.

Foreign Ministers of MLC member countries reviewed the progress of MLC cooperation and exchanged views on the framework’s future direction to address common challenges, such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, international tensions, global economic slowdown, food - energy - water security, and climate change. The Meeting agreed to strengthen cooperation in economic integration, agriculture and food security, green development, innovation, public health and people-to-people exchanges. China also proposed major initiatives in 6 areas of cooperation; agriculture, water and climate change, digital economy, space and satellite, human resources development, and public health.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don delivered statement proposing “RISE” (together) as a concept to drive development in key strategic areas, as follows:
1. Resilience in public health, climate change, and food, energy and water security.
2. Integration and Interoperability in enhancing connectivity and facilitate cross-border trade.
3. Synergy in promoting economic recovery and development, both between MLC member countries and between MLC and other Mekong cooperation frameworks, especially ACMECS.
Enabling Ecosystem in which business and innovation can thrive, especially through Thailand’s proposal on the establishment of innovation corridors, and to promote private sector’s participation in MLC via the Mekong - Lancang Business Council.

The Meeting adopted the Joint Press Communiqué as well as four Joint Press Statements to bolster cooperation in customs, agriculture and food security, disaster management, and exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, all of which are the key cooperation areas to which Thailand attaches importance. Closer cooperation in customs and agriculture can help promote export of agriculture products to China, as well as address cross-border trade challenges and bottleneck issues. In addition, Foreign Ministers of MLC member countries approved the new draft MLC 5-year Plan of Action (2023 - 2027) to be submitted to the forthcoming MLC Leaders’ Meeting for endorsement.

Initiated by Thailand, MLC was founded in 2016 (the 1st MLC Leaders’ Meeting) consisted of six member countries, namely Thailand, China, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Viet Nam. Thailand is scheduled to take over the MLC Co-chairmanship with China from Myanmar after the 4th MLC Leaders’ Meeting scheduled later this year.