Four nations start Mekong river patrol
December 11th, 2011 - 10:28 am ICT by IANSBeijing, Dec 11 (IANS) China has begun a joint patrol on the Mekong river with three other countries to beef up security in the region.
The patrol launched by China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand Saturday marked the restoration of international shipping services on the river that was suspended after deadly attacks on cargo ships Oct 5, Xinhua reported.
Ten cargo vessels, escorted by five patrol boats, set sail from the Guanlei port in southwest China’s Yunnan province after the ceremony Saturday.
The patrol officers are equipped with automatic rifles and bullet-proof vests. The boats also have heavy machine guns.
The Mekong river, known as Lancang in China, rises on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau and flows through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam before spilling into the South China Sea.
It is one of the key transport passages in the China-ASEAN free trade zone. In the recent past, the river witnessed drugs and weapons smuggling, as well as attacks on boats.
The patrol headquarters was set up in Xishuangbanna in China, while liaison offices were set up in the other three countries to share intelligence and coordinate operations.
China has deployed over 200 officers for the purpose.
- Security improves in Mekong river - Mar 11, 2012
- China spends $158m on major riverheads - Jan 23, 2012
- Chinese vessel attacked - Jan 15, 2012
- Chinese cargo ships attacked on Mekong river - Jan 06, 2012
- China spends $158 mn on nature reserve - Jan 23, 2012
- China spends $150 mn protecting major river sources - Jan 23, 2012
- Thai navy rescues 800 dogs from smugglers - Jan 12, 2012
- Three Myanmar soldiers killed in Mekong river clash - Dec 12, 2011
- Floods affect 8 million in Asia: UN - Oct 15, 2011
- Chinese cargo ships attacked on the Mekong River, 11 killed - Oct 10, 2011
- Thai soldiers confess to killing Chinese sailors - Oct 29, 2011
- India to host ministers of Mekong-Ganga countries - Dec 05, 2011
- Thai drug organization blamed for killing 13 crew members on Chinese cargo ships - Oct 11, 2011
- ASEAN-India officials meet in Cambodia - May 27, 2012
- President Patil visits ancient Lao capital Luang Prabang - Sep 11, 2010
Tags: asean, automatic rifles, bullet proof vests, cargo ships, cargo vessels, free trade zone, international shipping services, liaison offices, machine guns, mekong river, oct 5, patrol boats, qinghai tibet, share intelligence, south china sea, southwest china, tibet plateau, xinhua, xishuangbanna, yunnan province