On March 23, 2026, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended a reception in Beijing marking the 10th anniversary of the first Lancang‑Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Leaders’ Meeting and delivered a speech. Diplomatic envoys from the five Mekong countries to China, diplomatic officials from ASEAN countries and relevant international organizations in China, as well as leading officials from relevant Chinese ministries, local governments and think tanks attended the reception.

Wang Yi said that the Lancang-Mekong nourishes our six nations and binds us closely together. On this very day 10 years ago, we officially launched the LMC, sowing the seeds of solidarity, collective strengths and mutually beneficial cooperation among regional countries. Under the guidance of President Xi Jinping and leaders of Mekong countries our six countries have embraced the LMC culture of equality, sincerity, mutual assistance and kinship, acted in the LMC spirit of development first, equal consultation, pragmatism and efficiency, and openness and inclusiveness, and created the LMC speed, with progress and results delivered daily, monthly and annually. Thanks to such efforts, the LMC has grown from a seed to a towering tree, setting an example for the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

Over the past decade, we have linked our future more closely together, realizing full coverage in building bilateral communities with a shared future. We have gained more robust momentum for development, with trade between China and the five Mekong countries surpassing US$500 billion, an increase of 150 percent over a decade ago. We have forged a stronger underpinning for security, and made concerted efforts in disaster prevention and mitigation and public health, providing effective protection for the life and property of people in the region. We have deepened people-to-people exchanges. The Lancang-Mekong Visa was launched. Small and beautiful livelihood programs such as the LMC Bumper Harvest projects and the Lancang-Mekong Sweet Spring Action have delivered impressive cluster effects, strengthening the bonds of cultural exchange and mutual understanding.

Wang Yi noted that, looking back over the past decade, we see three principles that are essential to the robust development of the LMC: upholding good neighborliness, friendship and a shared future; focusing on development to serve the people; and pursuing innovation and breaking new ground. Right now, the world is entering a period of turbulence and many countries in the region have embarked on a new journey of national development. It is important that we better synergize our development strategies, jointly build an “LMC 2.0,” and set an LMC example for global governance.

We should pursue unity and cooperation in the LMC. We should carry forward the Asian values of peace, cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, and accelerate the establishment of an LMC International Secretariat. We should pursue openness and win-win outcomes in the LMC. We should press ahead with infrastructure connectivity among our countries, further explore the Multi-Nation Multi Park cooperation, and deepen cooperation along the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor. We should pursue green and innovation-drive development in the LMC, advance cooperation in digital economy, artificial intelligence, sci-tech innovation and ecological governance, promote investment in new energy, and build regional green value chains. We should pursue mutual learning among civilizations in the LMC. We should speed up the development of the Lancang-Mekong Tourism Cities Cooperation Alliance, continue to deepen cooperation among the media outlets and think tanks, and step up personnel and youth exchanges. We should pursue peace and tranquility in the LMC. We should strengthen cooperation on whole-basin governance, step up efforts to combat cross-border crimes such as online gambling and telecom fraud, and ensure the success of the Safe Lancang-Mekong Operation and the Mekong River Joint Patrol and Law Enforcement Operation.

Wang Yi stated that standing at a new starting point, China will follow the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness on neighborhood diplomacy, and work with the five Mekong countries to usher in a new golden decade of the LMC, and build together a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable Lancang‑Mekong home, making LMC contribution to peace and development in the region and the wider world.

Ambassador of Thailand (co‑chair of the LMC) to China Chatchai Viriyavejakul delivered a speech, speaking highly of the fruitful achievements of the LMC over the past decade, commending China’s important contributions to advancing the LMC, and calling on the countries to deepen solidarity and cooperation to jointly build a safer, cleaner and more sustainable community with a shared future for Lancang‑Mekong countries.

Wang Yi also visited an exhibition on the achievements of the LMC together with diplomatic envoys of the five Mekong countries to China and other guests. Two reports, “Building a Community with a Shared Future among Lancang‑Mekong Countries: A Common Vision and Practical Pathways” and “Master Plan for Connectivity, Common Development and Deep Integration in the Lancang‑Mekong Region over the Next Decade,” were released at the reception.

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Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) is a new sub-regional cooperation mechanism jointly initiated and established by China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. It was launched in 2016 with the aim of deepening good-neighborly friendship and practical cooperation among the six Lancang-Mekong countries, promoting economic and social development in the riparian nations, building a Lancang-Mekong community with a shared future, and jointly safeguarding and promoting sustained peace, development, and prosperity in the region.