(KPL) China Media Group (CMG) reported: The bell marking the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking has sounded, once again focusing the world's attention on drugs, a persistent and challenging problem, on June 26.

Drugs are like a malignant cancer corroding human society. They not only destroy physical health but also have a massive impact on social stability and economic development. China and Laos, as close neighbors sharing mountains and forests, have advanced together on the difficult path of drug control. They have built a solid anti-drug defense line for the people of both countries and throughout the region.

China and Laos have a long history of cooperation in drug control and have achieved substantial successes. The two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Drug Control Cooperation in 1993, laying a solid foundation for bilateral anti-drug efforts. In recent years, alongside deepening cooperation, the two sides have carried out extensive and profound collaboration in multiple fields, achieving outstanding results.

Intelligence sharing is a crucial foundation for China-Laos anti-drug cooperation. Under mechanisms like the Mekong Subregion Drug Control Cooperation and ASEAN Drug Control Cooperation, the two sides have established efficient joint intelligence-sharing mechanisms. These include regular meetings and joint research to closely monitor new trends and hotspots in drug-related crime. In cross-border operations targeting drug production sites, relying on shared intelligence, Chinese and Lao police have conducted precise operations, successfully destroying numerous drug factories and cutting off drug production chains at the source.

Joint law enforcement is a powerful weapon in the anti-drug cooperation between the two countries. In 2013, the joint drug control operation "Safe Mekong," initiated and hosted by China for the first time, has now developed into an important platform for cooperation among six countries: China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. It has repeatedly dismantled transnational drug trafficking networks, gaining significant international recognition. To date, the six countries have successfully conducted 8 joint anti-drug operations, achieving remarkable successes in intelligence sharing, case collaboration, joint law enforcement, and more. Furthermore, China has provided strong support to Laos in personnel training and providing modern technological equipment, effectively enhancing the professional capabilities of Lao drug enforcement officers.

Crop substitution projects are another vital measure in China-Laos anti-drug cooperation. China has actively promoted the cultivation of substitute crops using modern agricultural technology and rich experience in the northern regions of Laos. To date, Chinese enterprises have invested in planting over 70,000 hectares of cash crops like rubber, sugarcane, tea, and others in Phongsaly and Oudomxay provinces in northern Laos. This has directly benefited tens of thousands of local farming families in the Golden Triangle area. Simultaneously, Chinese enterprises have also helped build roads, schools, and clinics for local communities, and conducted agricultural technology training. These measures have not only reduced poppy cultivation and cut off the supply of raw materials for the drug industry but have also created new income channels for local farmers and promoted sustainable economic development in the region.

China-Laos anti-drug cooperation is not only significant for both countries but also plays a proactive role in drug control efforts across the Mekong region and globally. The Mekong region suffers from a high incidence of drug-related crime. China-Laos cooperation has strongly curbed the expansion of drug-related crime, safeguarding regional security and stability. At the same time, the collaboration between China and Laos provides valuable lessons for anti-drug cooperation among other countries and advances global drug control efforts.

However, the path of drug control remains long and arduous. Current drug-related crime is increasingly covert, new types of drugs emerge frequently, posing new challenges to anti-drug work. Facing these challenges, China and Laos will deepen cooperation, continuously improve joint mechanisms, steadily increase investment in law enforcement capacity building, boost funding for technological equipment and sustainable development, and enhance capabilities to combat new types of drug crime. This is to build a drug-free future for the peoples of both countries and the region, making it better day by day.

KPL