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Vietnam appreciates efforts of countries in coordinating in sustainable use of Mekong River water: spokesperson

Xinhua, April 14, 2016 Adjust font size:

"We highly appreciate efforts of related countries in the coordination of sustainable use of water in the Mekong River," said Le Hai Binh, spokesperson of Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday.

Binh made the remark while addressing reporter's inquiry over details of China's plan to continue releasing water from its dam in upstream Mekong River in a regular press briefing in capital Hanoi on Thursday.

According to Binh, such efforts "will help ensure harmonized interests of related countries and lives of local citizens in the Mekong River region."

Binh told reporters that via diplomatic channel, on Monday, the Chinese side said based on the upstream water amount as well as on security and regulation of electricity network, from Monday to next Wednesday, China will discharge water from Jinghong Hydropower Station in southwest China's Yunnan Province at 1,200 cubic meters per second.

Meanwhile, "from April 21 to the end of dry season, Jinghong Hydropower Station will once again increase water discharges to the downstream Mekong River," said Binh.

"Earlier, according to local relevant authorities, after China and Laos discharged water which aimed at helping easing drought and saline intrusion in Vietnam, the water has reached Vietnam in the first week of April, 2016," the Vietnamese official added.

"The water discharges have helped increase available water level in the Mekong River and supported the Vietnamese provinces in the Mekong Delta in combating drought and saline intrusion," said Binh.

Earlier, at the request of downstream countries, China had discharged water from the Jinghong dam from March 15 to April 10.

Mekong River originates in China and runs through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is known as Lancang in the Chinese stretch.

Since late 2015, countries along the Lancang--Mekong River have been suffering droughts of varying degrees due to the impact of the El Nino phenomenon, and the situation has worsened recently and threatens people's livelihood. Enditem