Ministers of the six countries bordering the Mekong River -
Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam - met in the
Cambodian capital Phnom Penh yesterday to strengthen cooperation in
the implementation of 11 flagship initiatives over the next 10
years.
The conference encouraged the development partners and the private
sectors to take part in and support the Greater Mekong Subregion
Programme's initiatives to improve connections between different
areas in the subregion.
Jin Liqun, head of the Chinese delegation and vice-minister of
finance, told yesterday's ministerial conference that the Chinese
Government attaches great importance to economic cooperation in the
subregion.
While praising the subregional programme as a pragmatic one, Jin
said: "China has also been active in working with member countries
in developing projects covering areas such as flood control,
water-resource management, navigation, agriculture, the enhancement
of customs house clearance capacity and disaster alleviation, and
has achieved significant results in this connection."
Since the 10th ministerial conference last year, China has actively
participated in a number of key projects related to subregional
cooperation.
The North-South Economic Corridor straddling China, Laos and
Thailand is one of three economic corridors planned by the
subregional programme, which also includes the East-West and
Southern Economic Corridors.
The 11th ministerial conference of the subregion's Economic
Cooperation Programme focused on discussing and reviewing the
subregional programme and the 10-year subregional strategic
framework, as well as preparations for the first ever subregional
Summit of Leaders, which will be held on November 3 in Phnom
Penh.
(Xinhua News
Agency September 26, 2002)