VIENTIANE, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to Laos Fang Hong and Lao Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Maithong Thammavongsa have signed a cooperation agreement for the 2026 Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Special Fund.
The signing ceremony took place on Tuesday in Lao's capital Vientiane. Representatives from the Chinese Embassy in Laos and officials from relevant ministries attended the ceremony.
Speaking at the event, Fang noted that over the past decade, the LMC mechanism has grown from a seed into a towering tree. She emphasized that China will continue to uphold the LMC spirit of "development first, equal consultation, pragmatism and efficiency, openness and inclusiveness," and work closely with Laos to build "Lancang-Mekong Cooperation 2.0" characterized by unity and cooperation, openness and win-win outcomes, green innovation, and peace and stability.
She added that the Special Fund serves as a key instrument for advancing the LMC and improving the well-being of people across the region. China is committed to working with Laos to further strengthen project management and effectively utilize the fund's benefits.
In his speech, Maithong highly praised the role of the LMC in promoting regional peace and development, as well as supporting Laos' strategy of transforming from a landlocked country into a land-linked hub. He expressed Laos' commitment to strengthening cooperation with China, ensuring the high-quality implementation of projects, and jointly ushering in a new "golden decade" of the LMC. ■
