The Lancang-Mekong River is an important transboundary river in South East Asia and beyond. It has a sound aquatic environment with abundant water resources. Connected by the river, the riparian countries share cultural similarities, and rise and thrive along the river. Water resources serve as an important material basis for the development of riparian countries.

In March 2016, the six riparian countries, including China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, jointly established the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) mechanism, in order to promote sustainable social and economic development in the whole basin and put into practice the Belt and Road Initiative. Water resources and environmental protection are among the five priority areas and are of particular importance for advancing the LMC overall. At the two LMC Leaders' Meetings and the three LMC Foreign Ministers' Meetings, the riparian countries expressed a strong desire to cooperate in water resources, hoping to support sustainable social and economic development with sustainable use of water resources through reciprocal cooperation between upstream and downstream. While maintaining regional ecological security, such cooperation will drive the implementation of water-related goals under the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the ASEAN Community Vision 2025.