Chinese Premier Li Keqiang: Xinhua Photo

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will attend the third Lancang-Mekong River Cooperation (LMC) leaders' meeting via a video call on August 24, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) announced Friday. Leaders from Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam will also join the video meeting.

The meeting was previously scheduled to be held in Vientiane, capital of Laos, at the beginning of the year, but was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson of the MFA, noting that all parties agreed to hold the meeting as soon as possible under current circumstances. 

Zhao said China attaches great importance to the meeting, and hopes to draw a blueprint for future cooperation on water resources, public health and other areas. 

Zhao said that the Lancang-Mekong River Cooperation mechanism has benefited the peoples of the six countries. After the COVID-19 outbreak, the six countries joined hands and effectively curbed the spread of the virus.

At the same time, they have overcome the virus' impact and helped the economic recovery of other countries, Zhao said. 

Global Times