Speech by Li Keqiang at the second Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting

China is ready to do what it can to help partner countries improve their medical and health care systems by building hospitals and public health institutions, formulating medical services programs, undertaking programs for women and children’s health, conducting joint medical research and promoting traditional Chinese medicine. 

China will implement the “LMC targeted poverty reduction program”, which involves 100 medical and health care projects in the Mekong countries in the next three years. China welcomes people from the Mekong countries to China for physical checkup and medical services, and will offer help wherever possible.

As the Lancang-Mekong cooperation deepens, we must keep pace with the times. Building on the “three plus five” cooperation framework, we need to expand our cooperation on the digital economy, environmental protection, health, customs and youth to gradually enrich our cooperation through a “three plus five plus X” format. 

We need to improve institution building. China suggests that a liaison mechanism be set up for the six national secretariats/coordination units and the possibility of an LMC International Secretariat be explored. The level of some joint working groups can be elevated as needed. To support our cooperation in practical fields, China is ready to start the annual application process for the LMC Special Fund in the first half of 2018. In addition, China suggests designating the week of 23 March, the date of the first leaders’ meeting, “the LMC Week” every year to publicize the LMC among our people.

Colleagues,

China has benefited from a sound neighborly environment for its own development, and China in turn has been a source of stability and growth in its neighborhood. Over the past year, China’s economy has sustained a steady, upward momentum, posting a better-than-expected performance. GDP growth for 2017 is expected to reach 6.9%. Surveyed unemployment rate in big cities is at a many-year low. Consecutive declines in imports and exports for the past two years have been reversed. A visible upturn has been registered in fiscal revenue, household income and corporate profits. The bond, stock and housing markets have been stable. Foreign exchange reserves continue to increase. Corporate leverage ratio has stabilized with modest decline.

Such sound performance of the Chinese economy can be attributed to our supply-side structural reforms, the introduction of new approaches to macro economic regulation, and the fostering of new drivers of growth, as we have refrained from employing massive stimulus. The Chinese economy has shifted from high-speed growth to high-quality development, a stage featuring a stronger role of innovation, fast upgrading of the consumption and industrial structures, coordinated regional and urban-rural development, and new progress in the all-round opening-up. This is a time of tremendous opportunities in terms of market, growth, investment and cooperation. As a Chinese proverb says, “One gets a better view of the moon-rise on the lake from a waterfront location.” By the same token, China’s neighboring countries, the Mekong countries in particular, will be better-placed to gain earlier and greater benefits from China’s development. 

Colleagues,

We the Chinese believe that action speaks louder than words. Our friends in Cambodia often say, ten talkers are no match for one doer. Let us act together to nurture the flowers and harvest the fruits of the Lancang-Mekong cooperation. Through our efforts, the seedling of our cooperation will grow into a towering tree, and we will embrace an even brighter future of sub-regional cooperation.

Thank you.