 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc made proposal for Mekong-Lancang Cooperation
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At the 2nd MLC Leaders’ Meeting in Phnom Penh, Phuc called for more cooperation in protecting, managing, and using the Mekong River water sources in an effective and sustainable manner. He said this will turn water source cooperation into a focus of the six countries – Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, China, and Vietnam – for the next five years. The Vietnamese leader said priorities in the short term should include increasing shared information such as hydro-meteorological statistics, cooperating in response to drought and flood, conducting joint scientific studies, and regulating inter-reservoir operations along the Lancang-Mekong River.
He also recommended developing interconnected infrastructure systems to facilitate the movement of goods, services, capital, and people. The Mekong-Lancang countries should make use of the opportunities of Industrial Revolution 4.0 by sharing experience, knowledge and technology to promote the industrialization in the member nations; developing businesses and training skilled workers; attracting resources for infrastructure development, and helping projects tap their full potential; providing jobs; and enhancing cooperation in research and technology transfer to develop agriculture. Vietnam’s proposals and contributions were acknowledged in the meeting’s documents and praised by their members.