LMC question: What is the song about?
Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, invited Prak Sokhonn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cambodia, and Maris Sangiampongsa, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, for a tea-talk in central Yunnan's Anning city on August 14. In a harmonious air, they engaged in a friendly and candid discussion on the Cambodia-Thailand border conflict.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (center) holds a tea talk with Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn (left) and Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa on August 14 in Anning, Yunnan province. Photo/Chinese Foreign Ministry
“This land of glory and beauty, with its rivers deep and mountains high, looks as imposing as it can be...” The excerpt is taken from the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) anthem: Lancang and Mekong, A River of Friendship.
During the 4th LMC Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in Luang Prabang, Laos, on December 17, 2018, the song “Lancang and Mekong, A River of Friendship” was officially designated as the LMC anthem.
Lancang and Mekong, the ceaselessly-flowing mighty river, is not just a geographical bond but also a river of friendship. As it flows, the river sings the harmonious and joyful song that was composed by peoples of the six countries and passed down through generations.
Good neighbors and long friendship
State-to-state relations thrive on people-to-people bonds, and people-to-people bonds thrive on heart-to-heart connections.
The Lancang-Mekong River flows through Xishuangbanna prefecture in south Yunnan. Online photo
Over the past decade, the LMC countries have deepened cultural and people-to-people exchanges, strengthening the ties of mutual understanding.
In the fields of culture, tourism, sports, education and media, close cooperation has been carried out, creating flagship brands like the Lancang-Mekong Youth Innovation Competition and the Lancang-Mekong International Film Week. Together, they have fostered the LMC culture of "equality, sincerity, mutual assistance, and being close as family."
“This is a river of friendship and a river of charm. The Lancang and Mekong links hands and hearts,” reads the lyrics.
Win-win cooperation, openness, and inclusivity
The Lancang-Mekong cooperation has always upheld the principles of mutual benefit, win-win cooperation, openness, and inclusiveness.
The inauguration ceremony of the China-Cambodia Cultural Corridor is held at Siem Reap Angkor International Airport in Cambodia on August 6, 2024. Photo/Yunnan Daily
The LMC Special Fund project system has been improved, supporting hundreds of livelihood projects to date.
Trade between China and the five Mekong countries exceeded 200 billion US dollars. The China-Laos Railway, the China-Thailand Railway, and the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway formed the LMC golden ways, while high-speed rail connections, airport linkages, and digitalization quickened modernization in the Lancang-Mekong region. The “Sweet Spring Action” has provided clean drinking water to thousands of villagers, and the “Lancang-Mekong Bright Journey” has restored sight to hundreds of cataract patients...
One river and one family
Bound by the river and land routes, peoples are friendly to each other and heart to heart like families. When winter snow dresses Kunming's Jiaozi Mountain in silver, the Thai tourists, who rarely see snow, excitedly visit Yunnan. When the sun rises on the Chao Phraya River, Yunnan flowers have been laid out in Bangkok's streets.
The "One River, One Family" Spring Festival cultural exchange reaches Laos and ThailandIn in January 2025. Photo/Yunnan Daily
Though we are thousands of miles apart, the shared vision for development among Lancang-Mekong nations remains as ever.
In January 2025, the "One River, One Family" Spring Festival cultural exchange reached Laos and Thailand. While experiencing the Chinese culture, the Lancang-Mekong partners reviewed past achievements and discussed future cooperation, making the "One River, One Family" motto more meaningful.
The Lancang-Mekong River is a river of charm and friendship. As it flows, the river sings the song of mutual assistance and common development. “Lancang and Mekong links up hands and hearts, forever and always”. The LMC anthem ends like this.
By YICC reporters