Kunming (TDI): China will offer five-year multiple-entry visas to qualified business individuals from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, Premier Li Qiang announced at the eighth Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Summit in Kunming, Yunnan Province, on Thursday.
The initiative aims to boost trade and economic ties between China and Mekong countries, with Yunnan’s trade volume with the Mekong region reaching 78.92 billion yuan ($11 billion) in the first three quarters of 2024, accounting for nearly all of its trade with ASEAN nations, the Yunnan Provincial Government reported.
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Li emphasized that China seeks to strengthen both “hard connectivity” in infrastructure and “soft connectivity” in policy alignment with Mekong countries, aiming for streamlined cross-border payments, regional economic integration, and new cross-border cooperation zones.
Additionally, China plans to expand cooperation in new energy, clean energy, smart manufacturing, and big data sectors with Mekong nations, Li said, stressing the GMS mechanism’s role in driving regional collaboration and sustainable growth under the summit theme, “Toward a Better Community Through Innovation-driven Development.”
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Leaders from Mekong nations and the President of the Asian Development Bank attended the event.
