The 169th Joint Mekong River Patrol and Law Enforcement Operation by China, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand Launched

According to news from the Yunnan Provincial Public Security Department, at 9:00 on September 21, the 169th joint patrol and law enforcement operation of China, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand on the Mekong River officially commenced. Before the operation, law enforcement departments from the four countries held a commanders’ joint meeting and a multilateral information exchange meeting in Jinghong City, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, to communicate and coordinate on issues such as combating crossborder crime and information sharing. This joint patrol and law enforcement operation will cover key Mekong River navigation routes, dangerous rapids, riverside docks, and tributary ferry crossings, and will be carried out through a combination of segmented patrols and coordinated maritimeland enforcement. Chinese vessel 53108 will also be stationed at the liaison point in Laos, and will conduct joint training in the waters from Chiang Saen, Thailand, to Xo Lei, Myanmar, together with relevant law enforcement departments from Laos and Myanmar. During the operation, the four parties’ joint patrol and law enforcement formation will focus on crossborder illegal and criminal activities, waterway management and control, and the inspection of safety hazards along navigation routes, in order to safeguard shipping safety and social stability in the LancangMekong River basin.