Mekong countries to strengthen law enforcement cooperation

2016-12-28
Xinhua

State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Guo Shengkun (L, front) attends the ministerial meeting of the fifth anniversary of Mekong River law enforcement and security cooperation mechanism in Beijing, capital of China, Dec 27, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Guo Shengkun attends the ministerial meeting of the fifth anniversary of Mekong River law enforcement and security cooperation mechanism in Beijing, capital of China, Dec 27, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

The partnership, which was launched in 2011 after the “Oct 5 massacre” where 13 Chinese sailors were murdered by a drug ring, aims to crack down on transnational crimes along the Mekong and safeguard regional security and stability.

Lauding the partnership as “a successful paradigm of regional law enforcement and security cooperation,” Guo Shengkun, China’s public security minister, said China is ready to deepen cooperation with all sides in joint patrols along the river, anti-terrorism, drug-control and border management.

Public Security Minister Guo Shengkun (R) meets with his Lao counterpart Somkeo Silavong, who is here to attend the ministerial meeting of the fifth anniversary of Mekong River law enforcement and security cooperation mechanism, in Beijing, capital of China, Dec 27, 2016.

The partnership involves China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand, with Cambodia and Vietnam acting as observing states.

The Mekong River, known as the Lancang in the Chinese stretch, runs through China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, and is an important waterway for transnational shipping.