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H.E. Prak Sokhonn Outlines Five Priorities for MLC 2.0 as He Concludes Beijing Visit
Phnom Penh, November 5, 2026: H.E. Prak Sokhonn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, outlined five key priorities for the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation's next phase as he attended the 11th MLC Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Beijing from Nov. 3 to 4, 2026, under the theme "Deepening the building of a community with a shared future: Writing a New Chapter for Mekong-Lancang 2.0."
The meeting was co-chaired by Chinese Foreign Minister H.E. Wang Yi and Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister H.E. Sihasak Phuangketkeow.
Foreign ministers reviewed progress across the three MLC pillars and exchanged views on future priorities to strengthen regional resilience, promote shared prosperity and advance sustainable development. Ahead of the 5th MLC Leaders Meeting in China in late December 2026, they reaffirmed their commitment to achieving meaningful outcomes for the peoples of the six member countries.
In his intervention, H.E. Prak Sokhonn reaffirmed Cambodia's strong commitment to the MLC framework, guided by mutual respect, mutual benefit, mutual trust and a shared aspiration for peace, stability and prosperity. He highlighted progress in regional connectivity, economic integration and sustainable development, particularly through the Lancang Innovation Corridors and the Five-Year Plan of Action (2023-2027), and expressed Cambodia's sincere appreciation to China for the MLC Special Fund, which has supported 113 projects in Cambodia.
Looking toward MLC 2.0, H.E. Prak Sokhonn set out five priorities: strengthening mutual trust and safeguarding peace and stability; accelerating economic integration, connectivity and innovation; deepening water resources cooperation and strengthening climate resilience; strengthening collective responses to transnational crimes and emerging security threats; and placing people-to-people exchanges at the heart of cooperation.
On the sidelines, Wang Yi invited H.E. Prak Sokhonn and H.E. Sihasak for a tea break chat, where the three sides engaged in constructive and friendly exchanges on strengthening cooperation, maintaining regional stability and improving relations between Cambodia and Thailand.
H.E. Prak Sokhonn also held a pull-aside meeting with Vietnamese Foreign Minister H.E. Le Hoai Trung, discussing the outcomes of Prime Minister Le Minh Hung's recent official visit to Cambodia and preparations for the upcoming ACMECS and CLMV Summits in Vietnam. He thanked Vietnam for supporting Cambodia's hosting of the 20th Francophonie Summit and looked forward to welcoming Vietnamese leaders to Phnom Penh.
In a bilateral meeting with Wang Yi, both sides reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to solidifying the ironclad friendship between Cambodia and China, strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and advancing the building of an all-weather Cambodia-China Community with a Shared Future in the New Era. They underscored the importance of translating leaders' strategic consensus into concrete cooperation and tangible outcomes, and exchanged views on regional and international issues, including recent developments concerning the Cambodia-Thailand border situation, emphasising continued dialogue and cooperation for regional peace, stability and sustainable development.
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
Reported by The Khmer Today
