AKP Phnom Penh, August 5, 2026 --

The "Lancang-Mekong Peace Boat" represents the six Mekong countries' strong commitment to safeguarding peace, promoting development, and strengthening friendship, Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia H.E. Wang Wenbin said at the launch of the initiative in Phnom Penh on Wednesday.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, H.E. Wang said the programme symbolises the shared determination of Lancang-Mekong countries to uphold peace and stability at a time of unprecedented global changes, growing uncertainty, and increasing instability. Maintaining good-neighbourly relations and preserving regional peace and stability, he stressed, are in the common interests of all six countries and reflect the aspirations of their peoples.

He called on Lancang-Mekong countries to uphold the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security by strengthening mutual trust through dialogue, resolving differences through consultation, ensuring security through cooperation, and jointly safeguarding long-term regional peace and stability.

The Ambassador said the initiative also embodies a shared vision for advancing development. Under the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) framework, high-quality cooperation between China and the Mekong countries in jointly advancing the Belt and Road Initiative has become increasingly substantive, delivering tangible results in connectivity, production capacity, cross-border economic cooperation, agriculture, and water resources.

He noted that trade between China and the five Mekong countries reached a record US$500.9 billion last year, representing a 150 percent increase compared with a decade earlier. Building on this momentum, he said, the six countries should accelerate the development of the Lancang-Mekong Economic Development Belt, deepen regional economic integration, strengthen the Lancang-Mekong Innovation Corridor, and expand cooperation in emerging sectors such as the digital economy, artificial intelligence, technological innovation, and ecological governance.

H.E. Wang further highlighted that the "Lancang-Mekong Peace Boat" reflects the common aspiration to deepen friendship among the six nations. Sharing close geographical proximity and long-standing people-to-people ties, the countries enjoy natural advantages for cultural exchanges and mutual understanding, he said.

He encouraged all six countries to promote the Lancang-Mekong spirit of equality, mutual assistance, sincerity, and family-like solidarity, while expanding cultural and people-to-people exchanges to further strengthen traditional friendship among their peoples.

The annual "Lancang-Mekong Peace Boat" programme includes study visits, seminars, and exchange activities designed to deepen public awareness of the shared Lancang-Mekong community, enhance mutual understanding, and foster closer friendship among the six participating countries.

Concluding his remarks, H.E. Wang reaffirmed the Chinese Embassy's continued support for the annual programme, expressing confidence that through joint efforts, the "Lancang-Mekong Peace Boat" would continue to grow into a flagship initiative under the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation framework.

Article in Khmer by Yea Chenda Khantey
Article in English by C. Nika