New ship joins Lancang-Mekong security mission

With the blast of a whistle, vessel No 53108 set off on the Lancang-Mekong River at 9 am on Tuesday in Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture, Yunnan province. Its mission is part of the 148th joint patrol and law enforcement action carried out by China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand.

The No 53108 is part of the fourth generation of ships to join the mission, which began after the Mekong River incident on Oct 5, 2011, when criminals killed 13 Chinese crew members aboard two cargo ships. Regular joint patrols started just two months later on Dec 10.

Equipped with advanced technology, No 53108 is said to be better equipped to crack down on cross-border crime.

"Currently, it's the most advanced, fully equipped, heaviest and fastest official law enforcement vessel on the Lancang-Mekong River," said Zhang Biao, captain of the vessel. "Significant optimization has been made to the vessel's spatial structure and internal layout, making it more scientifically and logically designed for daily living and operational duties."

The Mekong River, known in China as the Lancang River, is a vital waterway for cross-border shipping. At roughly 4,800 kilometers long, it crosses China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam before flowing into the South China Sea.

The No 53108 is part of the fourth generation of enforcement vessels to be deployed on the river, along with the high-speed patrol vessel No 53117.

"The two vessels will provide stronger equipment support for the patrol's high-quality development and combating various illegal activities," said Li Li, deputy director of the Yunnan Public Security Department, at a commissioning ceremony for the new vessels on Monday.

"We hope the law enforcement departments of China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand will continue to uphold the Mekong spirit of 'unity, assistance, inclusiveness, equality and mutual benefit', continuously deepen practical cooperation and exchanges, ... and jointly combat transnational crimes such as drug trafficking, terrorism, smuggling, fraud and illegal border crossings, making every effort to maintain the security and stability of the Mekong River Basin and serving its economic and social development," he said.

Compared to the previous three generations of enforcement vessels, the new ships are faster, more advanced and feature more diverse functions.

The No 53108 vessel has air conditioners and a river water purification system that provides potable water for the crew. The restaurant has a refrigerator, microwave oven, sterilizer, wall cabinet and television. The kitchen has a rice steamer, electric stove, refrigerator, freezer and storage cabinets.

Tan Jianhua, captain of the No 53101, a first-generation vessel that was renovated from a civil ship, said he was excited about and proud of the new boats.

"Considering the waterway conditions and demand for law enforcement work, the two vessels are specially designed for the river with speed and operational flexibility. Our old vessels cannot compare," Tan said.

He added that the new vessels make the journey from China to the water area of the Golden Triangle (an area that spans parts of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos) and back within a day each way instead of the round-trip travel time that used to take 3-4 days.

"Not to mention that when moving against the current during the dry season, the old vessel couldn't move because its engine wasn't strong enough. We needed to tether the ship to big trees or rocks on the bank to move forward," Tan said. "But the new vessel just needs one step on the gas."