On the morning of December 20, 2016, the 53rd Mekong River Joint Patrol and Law Enforcement Operation by China, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand, and the 5th Anniversary Celebration of Joint Law Enforcement, were officially launched at Guanlei Port in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. During this operation, the four countries dispatched a total of 7 law enforcement vessels and 190 law enforcement personnel, with a total voyage expected to exceed 500 kilometers.
On December 21, the joint patrol and law enforcement vessel fleet entered the Golden Triangle waters to conduct joint inspections, site visits and research, and security situation assessments. During the operation, important leaders from China, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand stayed at the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone and held a joint celebration at the Banmo Wharf military camp at the northern end of the zone. The special economic zone's warm and thoughtful reception for the event, as well as its positive contributions to international security and anti-drug work, received unanimous recognition and high praise from the representatives of each country.
Looking back, on December 10, 2011, the inaugural ceremony of the joint Mekong River law enforcement operation involving China, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand was also held at Guanlei Port in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, marking the official launch of the four-country joint patrol and law enforcement mechanism. Over the past five years, joint law enforcement operations have effectively eliminated security risks in the basin, revitalizing the Mekong River "golden waterway" and winning widespread praise from riparian countries and their people. Within the framework of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, regional security cooperation has continued to deepen, not only strengthening the basin's security barrier but also boosting trade and tourism throughout the Mekong River basin, injecting strong momentum into regional coordinated development.
