The 164th China-Laos-Myanmar-Thailand Mekong River joint patrol and law enforcement operation has commenced

A reporter learned from the Publicity and News Office of the Yunnan Provincial Public Security Department that the 164th China–Laos–Myanmar–Thailand Mekong River joint patrol and law enforcement operation was launched on April 20.

In this operation, the four countries of China, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand dispatched a total of 131 law enforcement officers and 5 law enforcement boats. An operational command post was set up on the Chinese vessel 53108, and commanders from all four sides jointly directed the operation. The law enforcement boats participating in the operation departed from Jingha in China, Ban Xang Guo in Laos, and Wangkeng Pier in Myanmar—after each side conducts segmented patrols in accordance with the action plan, they will meet in designated waters of the Mekong River to carry out joint patrol and law enforcement activities. The focus will be on cracking down on various cross-border illegal criminal activities in the basin, including fraud-related activities, smuggling, and illegal immigration, and making every effort to safeguard the safety of vessels traveling through the area and the security around the basin.

Before the operation began, the commanders of China, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand held a joint commanders’ meeting at the China–Laos–Myanmar–Thailand Mekong River Joint Patrol and Law Enforcement Joint Command in Jinghong City, Xishuangbanna Prefecture, Yunnan Province. They held in-depth consultations on operational details, reached consensus, and clarified that the theme would be “Empowering Capabilities through Technology and Improving Quality and Efficiency through Joint Patrols.” A series of law enforcement cooperation and exchange activities were carried out in parallel to help advance the four-country joint law enforcement further and make it more practical and effective.

During this operation, the four countries’ law enforcement authorities will also hold an information exchange meeting in Thailand’s Chiang Saen to jointly analyze the recent situation in the Mekong River basin and study and determine the next key areas of law enforcement cooperation. In addition, the parties will conduct joint training in the waters from the Golden Triangle to Ban Xang Guo, exchanging and sharing technology-enabled law enforcement experience through real equipment, real scenarios, and real combat exercises, and enhancing the precision and efficiency of the four countries’ joint law enforcement.

(Xinhua News Agency)