110th Mekong River joint patrol begins

KUNMING, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Law-enforcement authorities from China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand joined forces on Tuesday for the 110th Mekong River joint patrol.

Two Chinese vessels departed Tuesday morning from Jingha Port in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province, for the patrol, said the Yunnan provincial public security department.

Before the operation, the law-enforcement authorities held video conferences to jointly analyze the current situations of the COVID-19 pandemic and public security in the river basin.

The Mekong River, known as the Lancang River in China, is a vital waterway for cross-border shipping.

China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand have been carrying out joint patrols in the river since December 2011.