Vietnam Urges Closer Cooperation for Mekong River Water Use

Vietnam hopes for a closer coordination between Mekong countries in planning, using and regulating the water resources in the Mekong River, known as the Lancang in China, to ensure regional sustainable development, said Vietnamese Ambassador to China Dang Minh Khoi. In an interview with Vietnam News Agenc, Ambassador Khoi said the first Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC) meeting marks the first time all six countries along the Mekong River meet on joint efforts for sustainable development in the sub-Mekong region. Senior leaders from six countries China, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, including Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister cum Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh, gather in China’s southernmost province of Hainan to attend the meeting. They are expected to adopt the Sanya Declaration which outlines long-term principles and orientations for the MLC cooperation. The event also looks to pass a Joint Statement on Production Capacity Cooperation among Lancang-Mekong-countries and Early Harvest Projects for MLC, he added. The adoption of these documents will enable a pragmatic mechanism for MLC members, supplementing their current collaboration frameworks in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS), and create more added value for the cooperation among the six Mekong countries, he said. The engagement of half of ASEAN member states in the MLC cooperation mechanism will make a significant contribution to pushing the ASEAN-China strategic partnership forward, he said. The establishment of the MLC in 2016 also holds significance as ASEAN and China celebrate their 25th founding anniversary of bilateral partnership, he added. Through the enhancement of affiliation in five key areas, namely water resources, production capacity, cross-border trade, agriculture and poverty reduction, the MLC will play a crucial role in promoting sustainable development and reinforcing the good neighborly relations among the six countries, he said. Regarding the relations between Vietnam and China, the Ambassador said Vietnam as a downstream country, welcomes and highly appreciates China’s recent decision of increasing the release of water in the upper Mekong River to address the severe drought and salt intrusions in the lower part of the river, especially the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. He said this is a positive sign for the closer cooperation in sustainable management and utilization of water resources among Mekong countries. Meanwhile, Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, central region and Central Highlands are suffering severe drought and salinization due to El Nino and the low flow of water in the Mekong River which is caused by a dozens of giant hydropower dams of Laos and China in the upstream of the river. The drought and salt water intrusion, which are expected to last until June, have severely affected hundreds of hectares of crops as well as livelihood of millions of people in the regions. (Vietnam News Agency Mar 22)