America participates in environmental protection downstream of the Mekong

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently met with fellow Mekong countries' counterparts to discuss environmental cooperation. Washington declared this event demonstrating America's commitment to climate change in Asia.

Clinton met with foreign ministers of Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia at Phuket (Thailand) on July 23 as part of the Southeast Asia Forum. During the meeting, 5 countries pledged to set up a delegation to further discuss the cooperation in water resources development, education and human resources, and to hold annual ministerial meetings to discuss achievements. work.

The Lower Mekong Region - Southeast Asia's largest river - is the most vulnerable place in the world to the impact of climate change. Experts are increasingly concerned about environmental pollution in this area.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton shook hands with Vietnam's Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem in the Southeast Asia Forum on July 23.(Photo: AP)

Under the plan, the US will spend more than $ 7 million in 2009 to support projects to promote sustainable use of water and forest resources, and to preserve the biodiversity of the Mekong basin, increasing access to safe drinking water. In addition, this amount was spent on the ' Mekong Forecast ' project, a predictable model tool to illustrate the impact of climate change and other challenges to the sustainable development of river basin.

Meanwhile, the White House is lobbying the parliament to approve an additional $ 15 million in 2010 to support efforts to improve food security in the Mekong region countries. In addition, Washington spent $ 138 million in 2009 to support regional health programs.