□ 文/本刊记者 高航

澜湄合作在行动

□ 文/本刊记者 高航

“这是一条温暖和富饶的河流，它孕育生命、历史和未来。它创造了丰富的生物多样性，同饮一江水的人民有相同的信念，包容彼此，善待对方……”2016年12月23日，随着《同饮一江水》澜湄合作视频短片的叙述，澜沧江—湄公河合作第二次外长会在柬埔寨北部旅游城市暹粒开幕。

中国外交部部长王毅和缅甸、老挝、泰国、柬埔寨、越南五国外交部部长在这里就澜湄合作进行了务实、高效的沟通。

中国外交部部长王毅在澜沧江—湄公河合作第二次外长会上发言

澜湄合作能在如此短时间内取得这么多进展，根本原因在于它适应了6国加强互利合作的迫切愿望，适应了地区经济一体化进程的时代潮流。

澜湄合作进行时

作为一个新的次区域合作机制，澜湄合作从提出到实施早期收获项目仅仅用了一年时间。王毅外长向记者表示，本次外长会上提出了澜湄合作的下一步目标。一是在3～6个月内全面建立5个优先领域的联合工作组，并投入实质运作。二是鼓励各国在2017年内，分别设立澜湄合作秘书处或协调机构。三是2017年内所有45个早期收获项目全部完成实施或取得实质进展。四是制定新一批合作项目清单和澜湄合作5年行动计划，提交澜湄合作第二次领导人会议审议通过。五是正式启动澜湄合作专项基金的申请与使用。

王毅外长指出，自2016年3月澜湄合作首次领导人峰会以来，各成员国一步一个脚印地落实这次澜湄合作领导人会议达成的共识，可谓“天天有进展，月月有成果”。在不到一年时间里，澜湄6国已建立起领导人会议、外长会议、高官会等一整套工作机制和平台。45个早期收获项目中，过半数已经完成或正在实施。5个优先领域联合工作组的筹建有序推进。澜湄合作的融资支持机制全面铺开，一些重大项目已经落地。澜湄合作能在如此短时间内取得这么多进展，根本原因在于它适应了6国加强互利合作的迫切愿望，适应了地区经济一体化进程的时代潮流。

澜湄合作的早期收获项目进展迅速，各国对早期收获项目持充分肯定态度。澜湄合作专项基金也已经由中国外交部和财政部正式设立并启动，面向中国和湄公河流域5国开放申请。早期收获项目的推动和澜湄合作专项基金的正式运行，标志着澜湄合作正在务实进行推动。

域内国家自己的选择

实际上，澜湄合作机制并不是区域内唯一的合作机制。1992年，由亚洲银行主导的GMS（大湄公河次区域合作）机制设立，包括中国和湄公河流域5国，以加强各成员国之间的经济联系与发展、促进次区域经济和社会发展，实现区域共同繁荣。1995年，由湄公河流域国家共同设立了湄公河委员会，以期在航运、水利、农业、渔业、救灾和环境保护等方面展开合作。除此以外，美国主导设立了“下湄公河倡议”及“湄公河下游之友”计划。

那么，澜湄合作机制和这些已有的合作机制有何不同？

尽管澜湄区域国家已有了多种合作机制，但是这些既有的合作机制限于各种原因，在推动区域合作中各有掣肘。GMS是亚洲银行主导的合作机制，在项目安排和支持力度方面，除了经济考量，很多时候也夹杂了主导国家的“政治私货”。美国主导的下“湄公河倡议”也是如此。湄公河5国设立的“湄公河委员会”因资金限制，已经进行了大规模裁员和职能削减。

而澜湄合作机制是中国倡议、湄公河5国共同参与的合作机制，这个新机制可以利用的资金更充足、可以调配的资源更多。“澜湄合作机制”将全面推动澜湄流域内各领域合作，将会更加务实、更加高效，将产生更好的实际效果。

“让湄公河两岸的人民发展、辉煌，湄公河是我家。祝愿湄公河流域的6个国家人民幸福。所有的故事归于大海，而人民共享这一条大河。90多个民族沿河而居，6个国家依水往来，它载满了友好、信赖、责任和互利，传递着合作、进步与友谊，所有的心灵都在祝福着这条河。”正如《同饮一江水》这部短片里面的叙述，澜湄6国正在以自己的方式，紧握手，肩并肩走在合作与发展的光明之路上。

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“Mekong, a warm and fertile river, nourishes life, biodiversity, history and future alongside. The people residing along the river share the common belief, and they are kind, inclusive with each other…” Beginning by playing the documentary video — Nourished by the Same River, the 2ndLancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers’ Meeting kicked off in northwest Cambodia’s tourist city Siem Reap on December 23, 2016.

Chinese Foreign Minister H.E. Wang Yi had a pragmatic and efficient communication on Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) with his counterparts from Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

The reason why LMC can make so much headway within such a short period of time is that it satisf es the deep desire of the six countries to enhance reciprocal cooperation, and keeps up with the pace of regional economic integration, Wang said at a joint press conference after the meeting concluded.

LMC making progress

It took only one year to implement the Early Harvest Programs since the LMC was initiated. The 2ndLancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on December 23, 2016 mapped out the direction of further cooperation and what the next steps should be, Wang told the reporter. First, set up Joint Working Groups responsible for the key priority areas within three to six months. Second, encourage member states to set up LMC secretariats or coordination bodies respectively next year. Third, make headway with or fully implement all of 45 Early Harvest Programs next year. Fourth, make a new list of cooperation projects and a five-year action plan for LMC, which will be submitted to the second Leaders’ Meeting for approval. Fifth, start to apply for the LMC fund as soon as possible.

Thanks to the joint efforts made by the six countries along the river after reaching consensus at the f rst Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting in March 2016, it took less than one year to establish a set of work mechanism and platform for LMC, including the Leaders’ Meeting, the Foreign Minister’s Meeting, and Senior Off cials’ Meeting. Besides, half of Early Harvest Programs has been accomplished or is underway, and some of relevant financial support has been ready.

All countries in the region are gratif ed with the progress made in the Early Harvest Programs. The LMC fund, launched by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China, has been available for all the six countries. All this marks the pragmatic advance of LMC.

LMC — A wise choice for regional prosperity

In fact, there is many a similar cooperation mechanism. Take Greater Mekong Sub-regional Cooperation (GMS) for an instance. It was established by China’s Yunnan Province and five countries along the Mekong River in 1992, aiming to to enhance their business ties, boost the sub-regional economic and social development and achieve regional prosperity. As another example, Mekong River Commission, jointly established by the countries along the Mekong River in 1995, expects cooperation in areas of shipping, water conservancy, agriculture, f shing, disaster relief and environmental protection. In addition, there are U.S.-led plans like“The Lower Mekong Initiative”and“Friends of the Lower Mekong”.

Nevertheless, these mentioned cooperation mechanisms are subjected to various handicaps when they were practiced in the region. For example, in the Asian Bank – led GMS, the project arrangement and relevant support may be determined by or somewhat affected by the economic and even political concerns of the GMS’s leading states. It is the same with the U.S.-led Lower Mekong Initiative. As for the Mekong River Commission, the financial shortage has made it have a mass layoff.

How about LMC, then? Does it have something new or preferential when compared with other existing cooperation mechanisms?

Turn to the new cooperation mechanism led by China and joined by the remaining countries along the Mekong River. LMC provides more funds and resources. Its ultimate target is to promote all-round cooperation more pragmatically and eff ciently and to generate more tangible benef ts in the Mekong region.

LMC has been on the rise since the first Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting with the theme of“Shared River and Shared Future” was held in March 2106. As said in the documentary video Nourished by the Same River, “Let us make our home Mekong River prosperous. May the peoples in the region be happy. The river nourishes over 90 nationalities and six countries, carrying friendliness, trust, responsibility and common benefit. It bears its people’s best wishes and delivers their cooperation, development and friendship.” The six countries along the river is going hand in hand and heading towards the way of cooperation and common development.

Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Heading Forward

Written by Gao Hang / Translated by Mao Yuye