The agreements were signed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Maithong Thammavongsa on behalf of the Lao government and Chinese Ambassador to the Lao PDR Fang Hong on behalf of the Chinese government, with representatives from relevant ministries attending as witnesses.

For 2026, Laos has secured funding for seven projects worth a total of US$3.31 million, covering human resource development, agriculture, water resources management, public health and poverty reduction.

Established in 2016, the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC) framework brings together Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam to promote regional cooperation and sustainable development. The Mekong-Lancang Special Fund was launched by China in the same year and began supporting projects in 2017.

Over the past decade, Laos has received support for 100 projects valued at more than US$26 million through the fund, contributing to development in a wide range of sectors.

Officials from both sides expressed confidence that the newly approved projects will further support Laos’ socio-economic development, strengthen regional cooperation under the Mekong-Lancang framework, and deliver practical benefits to communities across the Mekong region.

KPL