On April 7, 2026, Li Xia, Deputy Director General of the Lancang-Mekong Environmental Cooperation Center (LMEC) / Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center (FECO), Ministry of Ecology and Environment, met in Beijing with Inthasone Thirakul, Deputy Director General of the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lao PDR and Secretary General of the National Secretariat of Lao PDR for Lancang-Mekong Cooperation. The two sides engaged in an in-depth exchange on topics such as regional air pollution control and China-Laos ecological and environmental cooperation under the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) framework.

Li Xia extended a warm welcome to the Lao delegation and introduced the progress made by FECO in implementing the outcomes of the LMC Leaders' Meetings, carrying out the "Green Lancang-Mekong Initiative", supporting green, low-carbon, and sustainable development in regional countries, and promoting the implementation of international environmental conventions. She stated that FECO remains committed to deepening strategic coordination between China and Laos in the fields of environment and climate. FECO will continue to advance regional policy exchanges and the sharing of best practices under the LMC framework to jointly address global and regional challenges.

Inthasone Thirakul expressed high appreciation for the positive achievements of FECO in promoting regional cooperation on the environment and climate change, as well as in the implementation of international environmental conventions. He stated that the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lao PDR, as the National Secretariat of Lao PDR for LMC, actively encourages various sectors in Laos to participate in LMC. This is particularly relevant in coordinating policies and sharing experiences with other regional countries to address regional air pollution caused by traditional farming practices. He expressed a willingness that LMEC would continue to leverage its platform advantages to support regional countries in expanding the breadth and depth of cooperation on environmental issues of mutual concern, working together to protect our beautiful homeland.

Relevant personnel from Division of Implementation of the Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, Division of Implementation of the Convention on Mercury, and Division of South-South Cooperation in FECO attended the meeting.