Last Friday, foreign ministers from the Chinese mainland, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand converged in Anning, Yunnan Province on the Chinese mainland for their second informal quadrilateral meeting. Their top agenda: reinforcing stability in Myanmar and stepping up the fight against cross-border crime.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a Political Bureau member of the CPC Central Committee, highlighted that since their first gathering last year, Myanmar's overall situation has shown signs of stabilization. He emphasized a Myanmar-led, Myanmar-owned strategy, inviting stakeholders to resolve differences through dialogue and support the choices of Myanmar residents.
Wang Yi underscored ASEAN's central role as the primary mediation channel, alongside frameworks such as the Informal Foreign Ministers' Meeting and the Myanmar Neighboring Countries' Foreign Ministers' Meeting. He noted that regional cooperation, backed by ASEAN mediation and neighborly assistance, is key to sustainable progress.
Against the backdrop of recent earthquakes, ministers pledged to prioritize livelihoods and accelerate post-quake reconstruction. They agreed to unlock new cooperation in infrastructure, health and education to bolster local well-being and safeguard Myanmar's sovereignty, independence and national stability.
The meeting also addressed cross-border security, with all sides committing to joint operations and intelligence-sharing to counter illicit trafficking and transnational crime. By aligning action plans with data-driven targets, the group aims to reduce criminal incidents by up to 30 percent over the next year.
For young global citizens, entrepreneurs and digital nomads, this alliance offers a tangible example of proactive multilateral dialogue and shared responsibility in shaping Southeast Asia's future.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
