From March 18 to April 3, 2026, the Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment / Lancang-Mekong Environmental Cooperation Center (hereinafter referred to as “the Center”) dispatched an expert team to Lao PDR to carry out air pollution monitoring and a thematic field investigation under the Environmental Protection Planning and Engineering Technical Assistance Project for Lao PDR (hereinafter referred to as “the Project”).

The expert team visited Luang Prabang, Oudomxay, and Luang Namtha provinces in northern Lao PDR, where they conducted on-site investigations focusing on haze pollution caused by traditional slash-and-burn agricultural practices during the spring season. The team also held discussions with provincial Departments of Agriculture and Environment to understand the current status, key tasks, and major challenges in air pollution monitoring, data analysis, and biomass burning control in each province.

From March 20 to 31, with the support of the Department of Ecology and Environment of Yunnan Province, the expert team carried out mobile air quality monitoring using a mobile monitoring vehicle. During the field investigation, dynamic monitoring and analysis were conducted on biomass burning intensity and pollutant composition. These efforts enabled a preliminary understanding of the characteristics and key influencing factors of air pollution during the peak pollution season in northern Lao PDR, providing scientific data support for optimizing the national and regional air quality monitoring network and improving air pollution control capacity in Lao PDR.

During the mission, the expert team also organized a capacity-building activity on air quality monitoring in Vientiane. The training and exchanges covered topics including monitoring and control of crop residue burning, reduction of unintentionally produced persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and implementation of international environmental conventions, as well as pathways for leveraging multilateral environmental funding mechanisms to support air quality management. Drawing on practical experience from Yunnan Province, the activity shared China’s experience in building air quality monitoring systems and grassroots governance. Through in-depth technical exchanges, the activity further enhanced Lao PDR’s capacity in air quality monitoring and pollution prevention and control.

The Project aims to implement the “Eight Major Assistance Projects for Laos” proposed by President Xi Jinping, particularly the environmental protection planning initiative, and to systematically strengthen Lao PDR’s ecological and environmental governance capacity. Approved by the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) and supported by the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) of China, the Project was officially launched in Vientiane in September 2025. Building on the outcomes of this field mission, Chinese and Lao expert teams will jointly develop an air quality monitoring network plan and an air pollution prevention and control system tailored to Lao PDR’s national conditions, contributing to a closer China–Lao community with a shared future.