The 2019 Yunnan Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Series and Lancang-Mekong Week is launched at a ceremony held at Yunnan University (YNU), on March 18. [Photo/ynu.edu.cn]

The 2019 Yunnan Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Series and Lancang-Mekong Week was launched at a ceremony held at Yunnan University (YNU), on March 18. 

Supported by Yunnan Provincial Government, the event was hosted by Yunnan Foreign Affairs Office, YNU and Yunnan Education Press. 

The ceremony brought together Li Jiming, director of the Yunnan Foreign Affairs Office; Lin Wenxun, president of YNU; Li Chenyang, vice-president of YNU; Khamphone Vongsanty, consul general of Laos’s consulate in Kunming; Soe Paing, consul general of Myanmar’s consulate in Kunming; Lem Puthviro, consul general of Thailand’s consulate in Kunming; Faizal Tahir, consul general of Malaysia’s consulate in Kunming, and other foreign consulates. 

The ceremony also saw more than 200 representatives attending the event, including officials from Yunnan government departments and universities throughout the province, students from countries along the Lancang-Mekong River region, and other representatives from Yunnan-based companies which are involved in the cooperation program. 

During the ceremony chaired by Yang Shaocheng, director of the Yunnan Office for Regional Cooperation, Li Jiming joined Khamphone Vongsanty and Lin Wenxun to announce the start of the event. 

New books compiled and edited by YNU’s Center for Research of Neighboring Diplomacy [c1] and the Yunnan Education Press were launched at the ceremony. Themed on developing collaboration between countries along the Lancang-Mekong River, the books were given to diplomatic staff attending the ceremony as gifts. 

Li Jiming extended his congratulations on the inauguration of the 2019 Yunnan Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Series and Lancang-Mekong Week, during a speech at the ceremony. He argued that the great progress of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Mechanism was down to the close cooperation between the six countries involved. 

Li said that Yunnan province would continue to make full use of its geological and cultural advantages, and actively help promote friendly ties between Lancang-Mekong countries. 

During his speech, Khamphone Vongsanty reviewed the efforts and achievements of Laos in boosting cooperation between the relevant countries. 

He vowed to make an even greater effort to promote regional social and economic growth, as well as to increase public welfare to help the disadvantaged. 

YNU President Lin Wenxun extended a warm welcome to the visiting guests. He spoke of the reasons for holding the event, saying the annual event was aimed at promoting collaboration between Lancang-Mekong countries, and to promote fresh thinking and new ideas for regional development, as well as to provide opportunities for young people. 

Lin recalled the efforts and achievements made by YNU in developing the cooperation mechanism, stating that the university plans to research regional cooperation. 

Following the speeches, Chinese students teamed up with groups of overseas students to perform for the assembled guests. 

During this year’s Langcang-Mekong Week, a series of activities such as forums, artistic performances and exhibitions will be held to mark the third anniversary of the launch of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Mechanism. 

The initiative was launched at a meeting involving leaders from China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, in Sanya, capital city of Hainan province, on March 23, 2016. 

Leaders from the six countries agreed to set the week starting from March 23 each year as “Lancang-Mekong Week” at the second leaders’ meeting on Lancang-Mekong cooperation held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. 

This year’s Lancang-Mekong Week, taking place from March 18 to 24, is the second one of its kind.

Three representatives jointly press a giant ball during the launch of the 2019 Yunnan Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Series and Lancang-Mekong Week, at a ceremony held at YNU, on March 18. [Photo/ynu.edu.cn]

Representatives from countries along the Langcang-Mekong River join hands at the ceremony to launch the 2019 Yunnan Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Series and Lancang-Mekong Week, at YNU, on March 18. [Photo/ynu.edu.cn]