Chinese premier arrives in Cambodia for second LMC leaders' meeting, official visit

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrived here Wednesday for the second Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) leaders' meeting and an official visit to Cambodia.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (2nd, right) shakes hands with Cambodian officials at the airport in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on January 10, 2018. [Photo: gov.cn]

Li was welcomed by Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong and Cham Prasidh, Cambodian senior minister and minister of industry and handicraft, at the airport.

Initiated by China in 2014, the LMC consists of six countries -- China, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. It focuses on five priority areas of cooperation: connectivity, production capacity, cross-border economic cooperation, water resources management, as well as agriculture and poverty reduction.

The Lancang River originates on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in southwest China. It is called the Mekong River as it flows through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam before emptying into the sea.

The Lancang-Mekong River connects the six countries together and also binds their destiny together, Li said.

Since its inception, the LMC has seen rapid development and fruitful results as it accords with the region's common willingness to seek development and unity as well as promote development, he said.

China is willing to work with all related parties to jointly review the progress made through the sub-regional cooperation mechanism and plan its future development, so as to push forward the mechanism from its nurturing period into the growing period and inject dynamism into regional development and prosperity, Li said.

During the meeting, Li will discuss with leaders of the other five LMC countries about the future of cooperation, visit an exhibition on Lancang-Mekong cooperation outcomes with them, and hold bilateral meetings with leaders of some LMC countries.

On China-Cambodia ties, Li said the two countries are good partners and genuine trusted friends, adding that they value their ties and treat each other as true friends, with mutual respect, equal treatment and mutual support.

Noting that this year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of China-Cambodia relations, Li said he expects through the visit to renew friendship and discuss cooperation with the Cambodian side in efforts to jointly write a new chapter of China-Cambodia comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation, better benefit the two peoples, and promote common development.

During his stay in Cambodia, Li will meet with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, hold talks with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, and witness the signing of cooperation agreements in such areas as politics, economy and trade, health, forestry, agriculture and people-to-people exchanges.