10th Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held in Anning, Yunnan Province. Wang emphasized that all parties should remain committed to an improved version of the LMC that includes elements of solidarity and cooperation, openness and win-win, green and innovation, and peace and tranquility.[i] Participants reaffirmed their commitment to multilateralism, maintaining free trade, combating cross-border crime, and working together to overcome challenges in order to preserve regional peace, stability, and prosperity.[ii]
The LMC, comprising China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, has not only deepened and diversified cooperation in the region, but has also gained prominence in the areas of security, environment, and technology through developments over the years, thereby strengthening a more comprehensive integration process aimed at regional peace and development. In addition to partnerships and developments in infrastructure, investments in strategic sectors such as energy and technology have also strengthened economic integration in the region. Cooperation against cross-border crime is also crucial for regional stability, as it not only ensures public safety but also builds long-term social connections.
This meeting clearly revealed China’s plans on how it will shape its priorities and methods in Southeast Asia using elements such as economy, infrastructure, energy, and cultural ties. Established in 2016 under China’s leadership, the LMC also plays an important role as a geopolitical diplomatic tool. This is because China has been able to make decisions that would have taken longer with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), comprising Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, through the LMC in a shorter and easier manner. The topics Wang Yi mentioned at the meeting, such as “more advanced cooperation,” “new energy,” and “digital economy,” indicate that regional priorities can be addressed more easily and action can be taken more quickly in accordance with the process compared to ASEAN.
ASEAN was first conceived and formally articulated in 1997 with the aim of integrating national electricity grids into a single regional network and enabling large-scale cross-border renewable energy trade. However, progress has been uneven due to slow policy alignment and fragmented bilateral agreements. ASEAN’s institutional model, which is fundamentally based on a consensus decision-making process, slows down decision-making processes. In response to this situation, some countries have opted for “minilateralism,” which refers to smaller groups with aligned interests that aim to address specific challenges.[iii]
The purpose of establishing the LMC is clear in terms of its importance to China, particularly in terms of the effectiveness of regional diplomatic and geopolitical strategies, especially the decision-making process. Furthermore, the constant emphasis on “peace and cooperation” within the framework of the LMC highlights China’s “soft power” diplomacy. Countries such as Laos and Cambodia, which have benefited the most from infrastructure, trade, and development investments, have become symbols of economic development thanks to cooperation on highway and bridge projects financed by China.
LMC also supports China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects. For instance, the high-speed train route passing through Kunming-Laos-Thailand forms the Southeast Asian leg of the BRI’s land and railway corridors. Thus, the BRI’s logistics and commercial network is also developing through the Mekong countries. Additionally, the collaborations strengthened by BRI projects also serve as a balancing factor against the existence of strategic rivals such as the United States (US) and Japan in the region.
China’s Global Development Initiative (GDI), which sets out its vision for supporting sustainable development on a global level, plays a connecting and complementary role in the KYG and LMC projects. While KYG establishes the infrastructure and investment dimensions of global sustainable development, LMC stands out as a reflection of the application areas of this development in Southeast Asia. Thus, the energy, dam, railway, and digital-focused projects carried out under LMC are progressing in line with KYG and also serve as concrete examples of GDI’s development goals. Meanwhile, China is strengthening its regional influence while reinforcing its global development goals.
To conclude, the 10th Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, held this year, demonstrates how global and regional initiatives complement each other under the headings of “new energy,” “digital economy,” and “enhanced cooperation” as part of China’s development initiatives. These themes form the intersection points of the LMC, KYG, and GDI. Therefore, this meeting has demonstrated that China has transformed its development-related rhetoric into a multi-layered strategy by developing it according to different criteria. Besides, with this strategy, China has overcome the obstacles to decision-making in ASEAN and has the opportunity to take faster action in the Mekong region.
Berra KIZILYAZI
[i] “Foreign ministers’ meeting calls for upgraded Lancang-Mekong cooperation”, Global Times, https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202508/1341000.shtml, (Date of Access: 16.08.2025).
[ii] Ibid.
[iii] “What’s Holding Back ASEAN on Renewable Energy?”, The Diplomat, https://thediplomat.com/2025/07/whats-holding-back-asean-on-renewable-energy/, (Date of Access: 16.08.2025).