On 25 December 2023, His Excellency Mr. Srettha Thavisin, Prime Minister of Thailand, attended the 4th Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting via video conference. The Meeting was co-chaired by His Excellency Mr. Li Qiang, Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China and His Excellency Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Prime Minister of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar with the attendance of the Prime Ministers of the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam.

The Meeting welcomed the progress made under the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation and discussed future cooperation. The Prime Minister proposed the vision of “Advancing the Three Futures” of Mekong – Lancang Cooperation as follows: (1) Advance physical connectivity, especially the construction of the Landbridge Project to link the Gulf of Thailand and the Indian Ocean and the sub-region and the region at large, and seamlessly connect the Thai-China Railway and the China-Laos Railway as well as strengthen economic connectivity through border trade and cross-border trade facilitation measures (2) Address new and emerging challenges, including transnational crime and climate change, and tackle transboundary haze by formulating a “Clean Air Initiative” under the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation as well as promote food, energy and water security through enhanced water resources cooperation (3) Create opportunities for growth by promoting cooperation in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) and tourism by targeting to double the number of intra-sub-region tourists in two years through increased cooperation on tourist safety and consular protection.

In addition, the Prime Minister also proposed to enhance the synergy between the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation and Ayeyawady - Chao Phraya - Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) to further support sub-regional development. At the end of the Meeting, Thailand was handed over the Co-chairmanship with China from Myanmar. In this regard, Thailand will assume the Co-Chairmanship for a period of two years (2024-2025).

The Meeting has adopted three outcome documents: the Nay Pyi Taw Declaration, the 5-year Plan of Action on the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (2023-2027), and the Joint Initiatives on the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Innovation Corridor Development.