Delivering remarks, Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong actively shared comments and prioritized the development of soft and basic infrastructure in the connectivity sector in Mekong-Lancang member states with a focus placed on the promotion of key basic infrastructure initiatives to create an integrated connectivity network of rail links, water and air links.

The Prime Minister also urged speeding up the construction of the power grid and telecommunication network and the implementation of measures to create favourable conditions for trade, investment and tourism in the sub-region.

“These projects, if realized, will contribute significantly to socio-economic development and reducing poverty in the region,” said Prime Minister Thongsing at the first Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Leaders' Meeting held on March 23 in Sanya of China’s Hainan.

The meeting was chaired by Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang and Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha. The meeting was attended by leaders from six countries namely Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

The meeting reviewed the progress of cooperation under the Mekong-Lancang framework and set a vision for future cooperation.

The leaders adopted the Sanya Declaration --For a Future Community of Shared Peace and Prosperity among Lancang-Mekong Countries covering the three pillars of cooperation: (1) political and security issues, (2) economic and sustainable development, and (3) social, cultural and people -to-people exchanges.

The leaders endorsed the view that practical cooperation will start with five key priority areas during the initial stage of the LMC, namely connectivity, production capacity, cross-border economic cooperation, water resources, agriculture and poverty reduction, as agreed upon at the First LMC Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

The meeting also witnessed the Chinese government announcing the establishment of the Mekong-Lancang cooperation fund to provide low interest and special loans, and the provision of 18,000 scholarships and 5,000 training scholarships to Mekong countries over the next three years.

The meeting also agreed to: (1) establish a water resource cooperation centre in China (2) support the establishment of a law enforcement cooperation institution to facilitate such cooperation; and (3) establish cooperation mechanisms at multi-levels with leaders’ meeting to be held every two years and the foreign ministers’ meeting to be held once a year.

Rules on the election, voters and election candidates; those without rights to election and candidacy.

The election shall be based on the fundamental principle as follows:

The general principle is a rule stating that Lao citizens with the right to vote cast their votes on the same day and time and way that is universal throughout the country unless otherwise stated.

An equal principle is a rule stating that Lao citizens have equal rights to voting and candidacy regardless of sex, race, social status, education or beliefs.

Source:
courtesy of KPL NEWS AGENCY

by KPL

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