The Work Meeting at the Fifth Anniversary of the Lancang-Mekong Environmental Cooperation Center was held in Beijing on 23 November, 2022. The event was held by the Lancang-Mekong Environmental Cooperation Center / Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE). Representatives from the Department of International Cooperation of MEE, Department of Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Lancang-Mekong Cooperation China Secretariat, China Institute of International Studies, China Foreign Affairs University, International Economic and Technical Cooperation and Exchange Center of the Ministry of Water Resources, International Cooperation Center of National Development and Reform Commission, Foreign Economic Cooperation Center of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lancang-Mekong Water Resources Cooperation Center, Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of Commerce, and Peking University attended the Meeting.
Expert views are summarized as follows:
Zhang Yujun
Director-General of Lancang-Mekong Environmental Cooperation Center / Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center of MEE
Since its establishment, Lancang-Mekong Environmental Cooperation Center (LMEC) has been actively promoting the implementation of the “Green Lancang-Mekong Initiative”. By now, LMEC has organized over 30 policy dialogue and capacity building events with over 3000 participants; provided over 40 research outcomes and the solutions for mainstreaming environmental policies and promoting knowledge sharing in the region; and established partnerships with more than 200 organizations worldwide for mutually-beneficial, win-win cooperation in promoting sustainable development in the Lancang-Mekong region. The first phase of regional environmental demonstration projects under Green Lancang-Mekong Initiative has benefited over 50,000 local residents, effectively promoting the improvement and implementation of regional environmental policies. In the future, LMEC will work with Mekong countries to jointly develop and implement the
Lancang-Mekong Environmental Cooperation Strategy and Action Framework 2023-2027, promote the realization of 2030 SDGs and build the Lancang-Mekong region into a pilot zone for the Global Development Initiative.
Sun Xuefeng
Deputy Director-General of the Department of International Cooperation of MEE
The establishment of Lancang-Mekong Environmental Cooperation Center was proposed at the First Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting in 2016. In the past five years, environmental departments of Lancang-Mekong countries have been actively engaged in exchanges and cooperation. Significant progress has been made in addressing global and regional environmental challenges, low-carbon and sustainable development, climate and environment demonstration, and the sustainable management of ecosystems. It is hoped that LMEC will be able to further improve the international influence of regional environmental cooperation through adopting more ambitious plans and taking more practical actions.
Geng Cong
Research Fellow at the Division II of Southeast Asian Affairs of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Lancang-Mekong Cooperation China Secretariat
I would like to extend my congratulations to the 5th anniversary of the establishment of LMEC. As a deliverable of the First Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting, LMEC has been making constant efforts to promote coordinated development of the economy, the society and the environment in the six Lancang-Mekong countries. In the past five years, actions have been taken to explore for a sustainable development path towards economic prosperity, social progress and environmental improvement, so as to achieve a win-win situation among economic development, livelihood improvement and environmental protection. Lancang-Mekong Cooperation China Secretariat will continue to support LMEC and make greater contributions to the long-term sustainable development of the region and the wellbeing of the people.
Liu Qing
Vice President of China Institute of International Studies; General Secretary of Global Mekong Research Center (China Center)
Lancang-Mekong cooperation has witnessed continuous progress in the past six years. With increasing recognition from Mekong countries, the LMC mechanism pushed mutual trust and cooperation among the six Lancang-Mekong countries to a new high. Recently, China-Vietnam, China-Thailand and China-Cambodia leaders’ meetings further enhanced confidence in regional cooperation. It is expected that Lancang-Mekong environmental cooperation could achieve more fruitful outcomes that could be promoted in the international community to benefit more people.
Gao Fei
Vice President of China Foreign Affairs University
I would like to extend my congratulations to the 5th anniversary of the establishment of LMEC. Lancang-Mekong cooperation is, in essence, the cooperation between the peoples. Therefore, it is crucial to foster young people with passion for Lancang-Mekong development. It is recommended that LMEC continue to implement the Lancang-Mekong Environmental Cooperation Scholarship program to help train more talents for Lancang-Mekong environmental cooperation, and sent personnel to Mekong countries to work together and establish closer ties with local communities. Moreover, LMEC could also expand financial channels through collaborating with international organizations and the private sector or establishing social funds to mobilize local capital, in order to ensure the long-term stable implementation and operation of regional cooperation projects.
Guo Yanjun
Director of Asia Research Institute of China Foreign Affairs University
LMC is characterized by government leadership, engagement of multiple parties and focus on concrete projects. It is hoped that LMEC could continue to make full use of its resources to enhance cooperation with UN agencies, international organizations and other stakeholders to explore for trilateral cooperation model in the Mekong region and gradually promote the achievement of regional consensus through cooperation.
Shi Qiuchi
Professor, Former Director-General of International Economic and Technical Cooperation and Exchange Center of the Ministry of Water Resources
Since the launch of LMC, the six countries have been working together to implement a series of cooperation projects with impressive outcomes, setting an example for regional cooperation and bringing tangible benefits to the peoples. In the future, we should implement both long-term and short-term projects in a coordinated manner based on the reality and needs of Mekong countries, and explore for in-depth cooperation in priority areas of LMC through launching multi-year cooperation projects that are expected by all Lancang-Mekong countries with mutually-beneficial, win-win outcomes.
Liu Jianxing
Deputy Director-General of International Cooperation Center of National Development and Reform Commission
The low-carbon energy industry in China has attracted a large number of businesses. They are willing to engage in international cooperation and are in need of resource match-making. Companies in sectors such as wind power, PV power and electric vehicles, in particular, have a strong interest in cooperating with Mekong countries. Therefore, Lancang-Mekong environmental cooperation could guide and support Chinese businesses to engage in low-carbon energy infrastructure cooperation in Mekong countries to promote the green development of energy infrastructure in Mekong countries.
Jiang Ye
Deputy Director of the Foreign Economic Cooperation Center of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs
I would like to express my congratulations to LMEC for having made such remarkable achievements in the past 5 years. Currently, Mekong countries are eager to carry out cooperation in areas concerning the people’s livelihood, creating new cooperation opportunities in agriculture and environment. We are looking forward to work together with LMEC to develop sustainable agriculture and green food projects, expand economic and trade cooperation with local governments and businesses of Lancang-Mekong countries in the field of green agriculture, and jointly promote the new progress in Lancang-Mekong cooperation.
Dong Yanfei
Deputy Director of Lancang-Mekong Water Resources Cooperation Center
To implement the deliverables of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting, Lancang-Mekong Water Resources Cooperation Center has been sharing all-year hydrological data with Mekong countries through the Lancang-Mekong Water Resources Cooperation Information Sharing Platform. In the future, we hope to carry out cross-sectoral cooperation with LMEC and LMC center in other areas under the coordination of LMC China Secretariat to enhance information sharing among different organizations in China and promote exchange and cooperation between Lancang-Mekong countries and third-party international partners.
Wang Luo
Director of International Development Cooperation Research Center of Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of Commerce
Effective and sustainable international cooperation requires information and data transparency. It is hoped that scientific methodology and tools be adopted to release information and outcomes of LMC projects, so as to promote the achievements of LMC to the rest of the world in a visualized manner that is easy to be understood by the general public.
Zha Daojiong
Professor of School of International Studies, Peking University
China is actively engaged in South-South Cooperation on Climate Change to support and assistance to developing countries as much as possible. In the future, LMEC could make full use of its resources and experience in the field of climate change cooperation to work together with universities to introduce progress in climate change adaptation, environmental governance and low-carbon development to students from Mekong countries in China and share good practices and experience in addressing climate change.
Li Yonghong
Deputy Director-General of Lancang-Mekong Environmental Cooperation Center / Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center, MEE
In the future, LMEC will enhance collaboration and coordination with LMC China Secretariat and lead organizations for LMC in other areas to carry out policy dialogue, capacity building, joint research and demonstration projects, so as to enhance connectivity between Lancang-Mekong region and the rest of the world, build the Lancang-Mekong Knowledge Hub for Low-carbon, Green and Sustainable Infrastructure, implement more “small and beautiful” demonstration projects, create new momentum for LMC and set an example for cooperation in the subregion.
Li Xia
Director of Lancang-Mekong Environmental Cooperation Center / Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center, MEE
Since its establishment, LMEC has been promoting cooperation in climate change response, low-carbon development, ecosystem management and coordinated environmental governance with sustainable infrastructure as the priority area. LMEC has also been facilitating the improvement and implementation of environmental policies in the region through carrying out demonstration projects, and developing knowledge products under the framework of the “Global Development Initiative” with the help of the Lancang-Mekong Knowledge Hub for Low-carbon, Green and Sustainable Infrastructure. In the next stage, LMEC will implement the second phase of the “Green Lancang-Mekong Initiative” to promote the implementation of the Global Development Initiative and 2030 SDGs in the region.
