Thai PM urges joint development among Mekong countries

HAINAN, CHINA, March 23 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha has proposed that countries along the Mekong River use water resources in a sustainable manner for public interest. Delivering a speech at the opening of the 1st Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting, themed “Shared River, Shared Future”, in China's Hainan Province, on Wednesday, the Thai prime minister proclaimed the meeting highly important, as it is the first time that the leaders of the six countries along the Mekong River are gathering to establish their cooperation framework on Mekong-related affairs for the sake of collective and sustainable development. The Thai prime minister said he is pleased that the concept of sustainable development at a meeting on the Lancang-Mekong sub-region in Bangkok in 2012 has been developed into a regional comprehensive cooperation framework, backed by China and other five countries. Besides, he is happy to see the six countries have agreed to implement urgent projects for concrete results within a few years. According to the Thai prime minister, the agreed framework covers cooperation on politics, security, economic affairs, sustainable development, social and cultural issues and civil relations, which should lead to the establishment of a Mekong community in the future. "The six countries are close because they are neighbors and have common challenges resulting from climate change, economic problems and issues relating to people's living quality", the Thai leader pointed out. The Thai leader also urged the participating countries to share visions, relate their strategies to one another’s and trust one another to ensure fair benefits for all of them. Other participants in the 1st Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting include Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang, Myanmar Vice President Sai Mauk Kham, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong and Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh. (TNA)