'Non-contact' Mekong River joint patrol begins

KUNMING -- The 92nd Mekong River joint patrol led by China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand started on Tuesday from Jingha Port, Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture in Southwest China's Yunnan province.

The mission will cover areas including the "Golden Triangle," an area notorious for drug production, with five vessels participating.

Affected by the coronavirus epidemic, law enforcement authorities of the four countries will jointly direct the operation through a remote video command system for the first time.

A remote video conference was held by the four sides before the patrol to share information.

During the operation, the joint patrol team will carry out joint water and land inspections in Laos in a non-contact manner to crack down on crime. At the same time, it will carry out combat training in water towing, water lifesaving and other fields to comprehensively improve its emergency response capabilities.

The Mekong River, known as the Lancang River in China, is a vital waterway for cross-border shipping among China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.