Phnom penh: The "Lancang-Mekong Peace Boat" represents the six Mekong countries' strong commitment to safeguarding peace, promoting development, and strengthening friendship, Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia H.E. Wang Wenbin said at the launch of the initiative in Phnom Penh on Wednesday.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, during the inauguration ceremony, H.E. Wang elaborated on how the programme symbolises the shared determination of Lancang-Mekong countries to uphold peace and stability amid global changes and uncertainties. He emphasized the importance of maintaining good-neighbourly relations, which are in the common interest of all six countries and reflect the aspirations of their peoples.
H.E. Wang urged the Lancang-Mekong countries to embrace the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security. He advocated for strengthening mutual trust through dialogue, resolving differences through consultation, ensuring security through cooperation, and jointly safeguarding long-term regional peace and stability.
The Ambassador highlighted the initiative's vision for advancing development. Under the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) framework, cooperation between China and the Mekong countries in advancing the Belt and Road Initiative has delivered results in connectivity, production capacity, cross-border economic cooperation, agriculture, and water resources.
He reported that trade between China and the five Mekong countries reached US$500.9 billion last year, a 150 percent increase from a decade earlier. Building on this momentum, he called for accelerating the Lancang-Mekong Economic Development Belt, deepening regional economic integration, and expanding cooperation in emerging sectors such as the digital economy, artificial intelligence, technological innovation, and ecological governance.
H.E. Wang also noted that the "Lancang-Mekong Peace Boat" reflects the aspiration to deepen friendship among the six nations. He pointed out that the close geographical proximity and long-standing people-to-people ties provide natural advantages for cultural exchanges and mutual understanding.
He encouraged promoting the Lancang-Mekong spirit of equality, mutual assistance, sincerity, and solidarity, while expanding cultural and people-to-people exchanges to strengthen traditional friendship among their peoples.
The annual "Lancang-Mekong Peace Boat" programme includes study visits, seminars, and exchange activities designed to enhance public awareness of the shared Lancang-Mekong community, foster mutual understanding, and build closer friendships among the participating countries.
Concluding his remarks, H.E. Wang reaffirmed the Chinese Embassy's support for the programme, expressing confidence that through joint efforts, the "Lancang-Mekong Peace Boat" would continue to grow into a flagship initiative under the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation framework.