On 24 August 2020, H.E. General Prayut Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister of Thailand attended the 3^rd Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC) Leaders’ Meeting via video conference. Also present at the meeting were leaders from the Member States including the Prime Minister of Cambodia, the Prime Minister of Lao PDR, the President of Myanmar, the Prime Minister of Viet Nam, and the Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China. The Meeting was co-chaired by the Prime Minister of Lao PDR and the Chinese Premier.

The Prime Minister of Thailand delivered a statement expressing Thailand’s commitment to further enhancing cooperation under the Mekong-Lancang framework in key priority areas, namely water resources management, public health cooperation, connectivity and the post COVID-19 economic recovery. On water resources management, the Prime Minister of Thailand made a  proposal for collaboration and monitoring of upstream, midstream and downstream of the Mekong river as well as promoting water data linkage between MLC and the Mekong River Commission (MRC) for the benefit of the peoples of the riparian countries. In addition, Thailand welcomed China’s announcement to share water data with other MLC member states all year round, and supported the regular forum among Ministers responsible for water resource in order to advance the cooperation at the policy level.

The Prime Minister shared Thailand’s experiences in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic and expressed the readiness to work with China on vaccine research and development. He also expressed appreciation on China’s announcement to establish the MLC Special Fund for Public Health, which will help strengthen human security in the region. The Prime Minister also joined the leaders in their appeal that the vaccine against COVID-19, once available, be made global public goods which are affordable and accessible to all.

At the meeting, the Prime Minister also emphasised the continued need to increase connectivity in all dimensions. While welcoming China’s plan to increase the imports of agricultural products from other MLC countries and the establishment of the ‘Green Lane’ to facilitate trade, the Prime Minister stressed the importance of agricultural innovation cooperation, encouraged MLC to further promote sustainable development, facilitate people at the grassroots and the private sector, especially micro, small and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs), and called for continued promotion of trade, investment, e-commerce and cross-border tourism to accelerate the post COVID-19 economic recovery.

The Meeting adopted the Vientiane Declaration of the 3^rd Mekong - Lancang Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting, which highlighted the Leaders’ commitment to further expand and deepen collaboration in the Post-COVID-19 era. Furthermore, as co-chairs, China and Lao PDR, adopted the Co-Chairs’ Statement on Cooperation of Synergising the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation and the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor.


Unofficial Translation of the Statement of the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, at the 3rd Mekong – Lancang Leaders’ Meeting, 24 August 2020 via video conference

Vientiane Declaration