An initiative of sci-tech cooperation on cross-border data flow among Lancang-Mekong countries was released during the Second Workshop on the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Innovation Corridor Development held in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan province on November 11, injecting new impetus into the construction of this regional innovation corridor.

In December 2023, the Joint Initiatives on the LMC Innovation Corridor Development was issued during the Fourth LMC Leaders' Meeting, noting that further improving the framework of science, technology and innovation (STI) cooperation will promote the economic development and social progress, and build a community of shared future of peace and prosperity among Lancang-Mekong countries.

One year later, the First Senior Officials' Meeting on the LMC Innovation Corridor Development was held in Kunming, adopting a charter of the mechanisms for this meeting.

However, STI cooperation among the Lancang-Mekong countries extends beyond this framework. Mechanisms like China-ASEAN Science and Technology Partnership Program and China-ASEAN Technology Transfer Center have provided strong support.

In recent years, more than 100 joint research projects in fields such as agriculture, energy and public health have been conducted among these countries, training a large pool of science and technology professionals.

According to the China Railway Kunming Group, as of October 28, the China-Laos Railway had operated a cumulative total of 63,000 freight trains, transporting over 70 million tonnes of cargo, including 16 million tonnes of cross-border freight to 19 countries and regions.

As a pioneer zone for LMC, Yunnan has built 34 international joint innovation platforms with the other five countries, according to Shang Chaoqiu, deputy director general of Yunnan Province Science and Technology Department.

In 2024, Yunnan dispatched 68 science and technology commissioners to the five countries to conduct sci-tech services. A special program launched in 2021 continues to support joint research projects by young scientists.

The November 11 workshop identified green development, digital cooperation, and talent cultivation as priorities for the next three years. Partnerships among universities, research institutes, and industries will be deepened in fields such as clean energy utilization, ecological conservation and carbon neutrality technologies.

The Lancang-Mekong countries also plan to jointly build credible digital infrastructure, conduct cooperative research on AI and block chains, and develop a regional data flow guidance framework.

In terms of talent development, the exchange programs for young scientists will be expanded. Regular training mechanisms will be established based on platforms like Tengchong Scientists Forum, nurturing interdisciplinary professionals who understand regional contexts and possess advanced technological expertise.