The 7th Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting was hosted by Myanmar on July 4, 2022 at the Golden Palace Hotel in Bagan.

The meeting was co-chaired by Union Minister for Foreign Affairs U Wunna Maung Lwin and State Councilor and Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi.

The meeting was attended by the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia Prak Sokhonn, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Thailand Don Pramudwinai and Foreign Minister of Vietnam Bùi Thanh Sơn.

At the meeting, the Foreign Ministers reviewed the Mekong-Lancang cooperation process and discussed future plans and exchanged views on ways to address the current challenges.

Union Minister for Foreign Affairs U Wunna Maung Lwin said current and future challenges need to be addressed collectively based on unity and in the field of regional health security, it is necessary to work closely to prevent and control infectious diseases, including COVID-19. He thanked China for its assistance to Myanmar in the fight against COVID-19.

He welcomed China's global development agenda, believing that it would prioritize cooperation for economic recovery and effectively respond to current challenges. He spoke in support of China's global security agenda, saying regional development could not be achieved without peace and stability in the region.

In addition, the Union Minister discussed it is necessary to increase cooperation for non-traditional security issues under the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation, such as counter-terrorism, combating transnational crime, fight against drugs, and arms smuggling. He also welcomed the establishment of the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Disaster Management Program to strengthen member countries' disaster management capacity. They also discussed possible cooperation in other areas, including water resources, agriculture, the increase of industrial production capacity, power generation and renewable energy.

Wang Yi, State Councilor and Foreign Minister of China, said about further steps under the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Framework including enhancing strategic leadership for sustainable development, enhancing economic cooperation, expanding cooperation in the agricultural sector, promoting green sector development, enhancing cooperation in the field of digital innovation and people-to-people interactions.

They also discussed the way forward for China under the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Framework including agriculture, water resources, enhancing digital business collaboration, cooperation in space technology and human resources.

At the meeting, the Foreign Ministers of the Mekong countries discussed the work to be done under the framework of the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation, and issued a joint statement at the meeting. They announced four separate statements on areas for customs, agriculture, disaster management and people-to-people learning cooperation.

After the meeting, the inauguration ceremony of the building of the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Coordinating Group (Myanmar) was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nay Pyi Taw, attended by Foreign Ministers from the Mekong-Lancang member countries.

The Mekong-Lancang Cooperation was established in 2016 and consists of Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.