China, Mekong River Commission sign hydrological data provision agreement
China and the Mekong River Commission (MRC) on October 22 signed an agreement under which China will provide the MRC with year-round hydrological data, contributing to better river monitoring and flood and drought forecasting in the Mekong countries, according to the MRC.
Mekong River flowing through Thailand (Photo: Reuters)
MRC Secretariat Chief Executive Officer An Pich Hatda described the agreement as a landmark in the history of China-MRC cooperation.
He said that as water infrastructure operations in the basin and tributaries are increasingly contributing to river flow changes and fluctuations that can impact riverine communities, more operational data sharing will be critical to the management of the Mekong River.
Over the last 18 years, China has shared its water level and rainfall data during June – October in the flood season from two hydrological stations located in China’s southwestern Yunnan province.
But in the context of worsening droughts, the MRC has asked China to provide year-round data so as to help with identifying the cause of low-level water on the river.
In August this year, Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang pledged to share more hydrological data with regional countries./.
VNA
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