THE signing ceremony of the Agreement of Cooperation on Projects of the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Special Fund (2025) was held yesterday morning at the Parkroyal Hotel, Nay Pyi Taw.
Union Minister for Transport and Communications U Mya Tun Oo, Union Minister for Foreign Affairs U Than Swe, Union Minister for Legal Affairs and Union Attorney-General Dr Thida Oo, Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture U Tin Oo Lwin, Union Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation U Min Naung, Union Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation U Khin Maung Yi, Union Minister for Industry Dr Charlie Than, Union Minister for Education Dr Chaw Chaw Sein, Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr Myo Thein Kyaw, Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Dr Soe Win, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Myanmar Ms Ma Jia, Deputy Ministers for Foreign Affairs U Ko Ko Kyaw and U Naing Min Kyaw and senior officials from concerned ministries were present at the ceremony.
At the ceremony, Union Minister for Foreign Affairs U Than Swe delivered the opening remarks in which he commended that the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation is one of the most successful mechanisms among other Mekong-related mechanisms and provided 984 projects across the member countries in a nine-year journey, directly benefitting the people of the Mekong River Basin.
He expressed his appreciation to the People’s Republic of China for their generosity through the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Special Fund.
He appreciated the People’s Republic of China for providing US$38.3 million to Myanmar under the MLC mechanism since 2017, and today’s ceremony has formalized the transfer of approximately US$3.3 million from China to Myanmar. He also appreciated China for its 1.1 billion Yuan of Emergency Assistance for Mandalay’s earthquake-affected areas and recovery plan.
Ms Ma Jia, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Myanmar, also delivered the remarks. In her remarks, the Ambassador noted that the MLC demonstrates the common goal of all member countries to remain good neighbours and reliable partners. She mentioned that Myanmar has received 132 projects through the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Special Fund since 2018, the highest among Mekong countries. She added that the 14 new projects signed today will continue to help development in multiple fields of Myanmar. In commemoration of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Myanmar, she expressed China’s commitment to working closely with Myanmar in implementing the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, and Global Civilization Initiative, to foster a China-Myanmar community with a shared future for mutual benefit.
Afterwards, the Agreement on the Transfer of Funds for MLC Special Fund (2025) Projects for Myanmar was signed and exchanged by U Ko Ko Kyaw, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and Ms Ma Jia, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China.
Under the Agreement, 14 projects will be implemented in Myanmar by nine Ministries in the fields of agricultural technology, science and technology, cultural exchange, legal cooperation, environmental cooperation, disaster management and commercial navigation.
The Mekong-Lancang Cooperation was initiated by the Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the 17th ASEAN-China Summit held in Myanmar in 2014 to foster cooperation to reduce the development gap and attain sustainable development in the Mekong region. Mekong-Lancang Cooperation was officially launched in 2016 among six Mekong-Lancang countries comprising Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. — MNA
