In order to implement the environmental protection planning project under the “Eight Major Assistance Projects for Laos” proposed by President Xi Jinping, and with the approval of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) as well as the support of the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) of China, the Environmental Protection Planning and Engineering Technical Assistance Project for Lao PDR (hereinafter referred to as the “Project”) was officially launched in Vientiane, Lao PDR, in September 2025. The Project is organized and implemented by the Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center / Lancang–Mekong Environmental Cooperation Center of MEE (hereinafter referred to as the “Center”). From 7 to 19 December, the Center organized a project expert team to conduct the second on-site mission in Laos and to carry out environmental management capacity-building activities.

The on-site mission focused on advancing the collection, verification, and analysis of environmental management-related data in Laos. The project team held technical exchanges and conducted data collection with relevant institutions, including the Department of Land Administration and Management, the Department of Livestock and Fisheries, and the Department of Agriculture under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment ; the Center of Water Supply and Environmental Health of the Ministry of Health; the Department of Processing Industry under the Ministry of Industry and Commerce; as well as the Agriculture and Environment Departments of Vientiane Capital and Vientiane Province. Discussions centered on key areas such as land resource utilization and planning, agricultural and industrial water use management, enterprise environmental management, and pollution discharge regulation. During the mission, the project team also carried out on-site water quality sampling and analysis in the Nam Lik River and the Nam Ngad River in Vientiane Province, providing technical support and a scientific basis for the optimization of water quality monitoring site layout and the strengthening of water environment management in Laos.

In parallel, the project team conducted assessments of Laos’s needs for enhancing environmental and climate governance capacity and organized the first thematic capacity-building training activity under the Project. The training focused on sustainable ecosystem management and restoration, pesticide and chemicals management, plastic pollution control and circular utilization, and climate change adaptation. Through policy and technical exchanges, the activity shared relevant experience and practices of China, discussed implementation challenges, and explored approaches to establishing long-term environmental management mechanisms aligned with Laos’s national conditions and development stage.

Looking ahead, both the Chinese and Lao sides will, on the basis of the outcomes achieved in 2025, further strengthen technical cooperation and capacity building, and jointly carry out water and air environment monitoring activities in 2026. These efforts will support the development of context-specific environmental management solutions and professional capacity, and contribute to promoting practical cooperation in ecological and environmental protection between China and Laos.