At the Seventh Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held in Bagan, Myanmar on 4 July 2022, we, the Foreign Ministers of the six Mekong-Lancang countries, based on the consensus on enhancing trade connectivity, economic resilience and regional economic integration reached at the Third MLC Leaders’ Meeting on 24 August 2020, proposed to further deepen customs cooperation to secure trade and facilitate clearance, and issued the following statement:

Recognizing that the rapid and steady growth of trade between China and the five Mekong countries has injected strong impetus into the economic and social development of our six countries, and that jointly safeguarding multilateralism and free trade and promoting the stability of regional industrial and supply chains amid the resurging and protracted COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertain and uneven world economic recovery serve the interests of our six countries;

And recognizing that customs authorities have become a key force in promoting both pandemic response and economic and social development and in ensuring the security and facilitation of international trade. Deepening customs cooperation among Mekong-Lancang countries has become increasingly important for enhancing trade security and customs clearance facilitation in this region and for promoting trade and sustained development of economic and trade relations among our six countries;

We express support for the customs authorities of our six countries to enhance cooperation at policy and operational levels in the following areas:

1. Strengthen the “3S” customs cooperation to address common risks and challenges. The customs authorities will explore the piloting of the Smart Customs, Smart Borders and Smart Connectivity (3S) cooperation for trade among Mekong-Lancang countries, promote digitalization and technological innovation, strengthen cross-border customs coordination, and enhance customs connectivity and information sharing, especially on the changes of domestic rules and regulations, and information about customs procedures in Free Zones where applicable, to ensure the security and stability of industrial and supply chains.

2. Strengthen customs enforcement cooperation to secure international trade. The customs authorities will jointly crack down on the smuggling of firearms and ammunition, waste including e-waste, drugs, endangered wildlife and their products, as well as on commercial fraud, and enhance cooperation on mutual administrative assistance on investigation to promote the safe cross-border flow of goods.

3. Strengthen cooperation on customs clearance facilitation to promote regional economic development. The customs authorities will continue to improve infrastructure construction at border ports, improve customs control and service, optimize customs clearance procedures, expedite cooperation on single window and Authorized Economic Operators (AEO), explore the possibility to devise innovative solutions to solve port congestion and increase the efficiency of cross-border freight flow, pursue effective implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, and continuously improve the business environment at ports, so as to promote the development of import and export trade of agricultural products, food and commercial goods among our six countries and to facilitate goods in transit.

We firmly believe that our six countries will further enhance mutual trust, deepen customs cooperation to secure trade and facilitate effective and smooth clearance, promote sustainable development of economic and trade relations among our six countries, and jointly build a brighter future for Mekong-Lancang cooperation.