Law enforcement agencies from Laos, China, Myanmar, and Thailand came together on Tuesday for the 106th Mekong River joint patrol.
Three Chinese vessels departed Jingha Port in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China’s Yunnan Province for the patrol, according to Xinhua.
Law enforcement officers from the four countries plan to navigate over 600 kilometers of the Mekong River over four days and three nights to improve patrols of the river’s critical waters.
The fleet will also clamp down on drug trafficking and other cross-border crimes in the region.
Because of the rising water levels of the Mekong River, the patrol team will step up information exchanges with merchant ships and civilian vessels on the river to ensure their navigation safety.
The Mekong River, known as the Lancang River in China, is a vital waterway for cross-border shipping.
China, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand have been carrying out joint patrols on the Mekong River since December 2011.
