Mekong Institute (MI) opened day one of its “Capacity Building for Regional Economic Integration and Innovation for Free Trade Zone Development in the Lancang-Mekong Region” e-training today from the MI Headquarters in Khon Kaen, Thailand.

Set to run from March 22 to April 2, 2021, 35 government, academic researchers, and private sector representatives from Cambodia, P.R. China, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam will be exposed to international and regional concepts and practices on free trade zone (FTZ) development, with focus on P.R. China’s pilot program to equip participants in contributing to future economic zone development in their respective Lancang-Mekong countries.

“As agents of change, we encourage you to share the practical lessons from this program to your networks,” Ms. Jian Wang, Program Coordinator of MI’s Sustainable Energy and Environment Department, said during the opening session.  

She explained that deeper understanding of the merits of FTZ will accelerate the course towards a “more modern business landscape that is characterized by open domestic and foreign trade and active foreign direct investments for the benefit of people in the region.”

The online sessions also include activities that will help enhance participants’ cross-cultural communication skills for wider interaction and collaboration among Lancang-Mekong region nationals.

Supported by the People’s Government of Yunnan Province, this is the second FTZ development and cross-cultural communications training program after its successful implementation in 2020, where 35 Lancang-Mekong nationals completed the course.

At the end of the 2021 online training, participants will implement knowledge and skills sharing in their home countries as part of their action plan implementation.