Towards a Closer LMC Community of Shared Future: Connectivity, Innovation and Transformation

Session I: Towards a Closer LMC Community of Shared Future: Progress and Prospect

Excellency Ambassador Rong Ying

Vice President of China Institute of International Studies, Coordinator of GCMS China Center

Representatives from MFA China, Presenters, Experts

The responsible officials from GCMS China Center

Good Morning and Minglabar Auspicious Day to you All!

Happy Lunar New Year

Today, It is an honor for me to take this opportunity of delivering a speech as a special guest representing Myanmar GCMS Center at the Zoom platform Forum on the main Theme “ Towards a Closer LMC Community of Shared Future : Connectivity, Innovation and Transformation “

Mr. Chair Dr. Rong,

May I begin by recollecting my memory of our cordial friendship with you as a Director of Network Institute GCMS China Center about five years back. I and my colleague U Kyee Myint of Myanmar-ISIS were invited to attend the GCMS Think Tank Meeting in March 2018 at Beijing after the Cenetr’s inception in March 2016. Since then, our two Institutes’ cordial friendship and cooperation relations had begun. We are very much grateful for this collaborative achievement.

If I am not mistaken, the “GCMS Think Tank Forum 2022” Zoom Meeting with the Title “ Five Years of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC): Progress, Experience and Prospects” was held in December 2021. I had the opportunity to contribute and take part as a Chair on the Session II New Areas and Future Direction of LMC in the next Five Years”.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

This year, I have the opportunity to participate again in the GCMS Forum 2023. The main theme of today’s Forum has called for the “connectivity, innovation and transformation of the LMC countries to move towards a closer Community of shared future of peace and prosperity.

The Session I will discuss the Towards a closer Community of Shared Future: Progress and Prospect.

The Session II will share views on “Post-Pandemic Recovery Cooperation in Lancang-Mekong sub-region: Issues and Solutions

In our Sub-regional community the” Golden Five Years “of LMC began in 2021, is collaborating and implementing our vision of the Rivers of Peace LM subregional people-to-people connectivity cooperation.

In the passing years , it has been promoting the connectivity by initiating BRI of OBOR and CMEC regional and global common development projects. Under these macro programs we are trying to promote the existing people-to-people connectivity and cross border trade business in our sub-region towards the sub-regional development.

More so, it is very much encouraged to see that our sub-region is endeavoring to enhance people-to-people exchange, to build and putting synergy between LM Economic Development Belt (LMEDB)and the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor (GCMS 2020). Those efforts are set to prepare a new Architecture for all-round cooperation in the region.

The principle of LMEDB would transform towards an open and inclusive forward looking innovative , high standard and people-centered sub-region with promoting livelihoods, humanity and reduction of poverty.

LMEDB is one of the key sectors progressing under the ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and ASEAN-China Dialogue Partnership. We are certain that those China-ASEAN partnership relations would also enhance and deepen the prospect of economic, trade and people-to-people cooperation of the countries in LM Region towards common development and shared future.

Excellencies , Distinguished Representatives and Presenters,

To prosper the economy and health sectors, the countries in the sub-region maintain closer cooperation in fighting against the Covid pandemic. We need cooperation and collaboration in our effort in finding more better solutions on the post-pandemic recovery cooperation in the fields of social and economy in our region.

We have experienced with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic that had confronted in our region since January 2020. Its spillover had caused grave implications on welfare of people and national economic development .That becomes economic contraction, low GDP growth, rising poverty and unemployment, growing consumer prices and social sectors.

It is a dire need for the MLC countries to work closely and cooperate each other to build back better our region in the post-pandemic. We are grateful for the support by China to the Covid-19 ASEAN Response Fund and to the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework. Myanmar has also outlined the Covid-19 Economic Relief Plan (CERP) in April 2020 and the long-term recovery Economic Resilience and Relief Plans (MERRP) to cooperate with the countries in our region.

Myanmar in the LM region is given priority to focusing on the food security sector with MSME in order to implement the transformation of more export and less import of the country in the fields of trade and investment.

Excellencies,

Honorable Representatives and Presenters,

When we look at the progress and prospect , we are very much encouraged with the following major achievements like LMC Special Fund since 2017 . The Fund has supported more than 500 projects in LMC countries. The MLC National Coordination Unit Myanmar has been set up in May 2017. The Five-Year Plan of Actions(2018-2022) of the Special Fund as the plan of actions toward the goal of economic and social development in ML countries has successfully taken out.

The Fifth MLC Foreign Ministers Meeting 2020 and sixth LMC FM meeting 2021 had declared that the LMC has been paving the way to all-round development.

The cooperation has been enhanced , set sail and marching forward during the six years. I feel happy to express that the track two think tank GCMS is contributing its utmost effort in assisting track one departmental sectors towards the sustainable development of LMC programs in the sub-region.

Last but not least, I wish to say that the “Golden Five Year” of LMC that had begun in 2021 is facilitating a promising approach with progress and prospect towards the post-pandemic recovery and building a closer community of new normalcy.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

To conclude, thank you so much for giving the honor of speaking at this track two GCMS Think Tank Forum 2023.

I wish full success of this forum leads to the sustainable development with, progress and prospect. A thousand mile journey begins with a small step.

Let GCMS carry out a closer LMC Community of common development and shared future.

Thank you !