UNMING, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- Four years after the launch of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) mechanism, there has been holistic cooperation among the regional countries, experts said.Experts expect LMC countries to unleash greater potential for cooperation in the future so as to achieve a higher level of sustainable development in the region.
The LMC mechanism was launched by six countries -- China, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam -- in 2016. It derives its name from a river that is called Lancang in China and Mekong in the five other countries.
At the third LMC leaders' meeting, held by video link on Monday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said from this year, the country will share the Lancang River's hydrological data for the whole year with Mekong countries.
Li also noted that China will work with other LMC countries to establish a Lancang-Mekong Water Resources Cooperation Information Sharing Platform to better tackle climate change and natural disasters such as floods and droughts.
"Sharing the entire year's hydrological data of the Lancang River is an important public product that China offers Mekong countries to deepen the water resources cooperation of the LMC," said Zhai Kun, a professor of international studies at Peking University.
The move will help promote more scientific and procedure-based joint research on the river's water resources. It also helps countries in the region improve forecasting and management and reduce the damage to property and crops caused by drought and flood, according to Zhai.
At the LMC leaders' meeting, China promised to set up a special fund for public health under the framework of the LMC Special Fund and continue to provide material and technical support to the Mekong countries to the best of its ability.
"China's proposals at the meeting are reflective of its neighborhood diplomacy, which features amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, as well as its efforts to create a community with a shared future with our neighbors," said Lu Guangsheng, director of Institute of International Relations of Yunnan University.
The proposals also show that China is committed to deepening LMC cooperation with an open, responsible and constructive attitude, Lu said.
China also proposed synergizing the LMC with the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, which passes through western China and connects Southeast Asia with the Eurasian continent.
"Synergizing the LMC with the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor is a sensible course of action," said Lu, adding that the move is expected to help further open up markets among LMC countries.
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