Preface

This work is based on a research project carried out by the Institute of World Economics and Politics (IWEP) at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) within the framework of the 2017 Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Special Fund of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China. Taking into account the size of the project and its relevant actors, alongside the English version, the project also envisages the publication of corresponding academic work in the Chinese language.

At the 17th China-ASEAN Summit in November 2014, Premier Li Keqiang put forward a proposal for the establishment of a Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) mechanism that included China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, to implement an initiative previously announced by President Xi Jinping: to build an Asian community with a shared future and promote the development and prosperity of countries located along the Lancang-Mekong River. Since its inception, this LMC proposal has been reaping fruit and it has become a role model for sub-regional cooperation.

In order to facilitate its operation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs launched the China Secretariat for the development of the LMC mechanism, under which it established the LMC Special Fund to support practical and research projects within the LMC framework. Then, in 2017, the IWEP research project “Textile Value Chains and Economic Development of Six Lancang-Mekong Countries” received financial support from the fund.

Conceptually speaking, the project is not limited to the use of traditional research methods; instead, it draws on a combination of international conferences, field studies and cooperative research at the international level. During the research process, the IWEP team has gained an in-depth understanding of the value chain development of the textile and apparel sector in Lancang-Mekong countries by holding international conferences and conducting field studies, which have been incorporated into this work.

The three international conferences that have been sponsored by the project are the 8th CASS Asian Research Forum “Lancang-Mekong Cooperation and Regional Textile Value Chain Development”, a mid-term project seminar and a conference to conclude. All these conferences were attended by experts and academics, who were invited to assist and participate, from the different countries located along the Lancang-Mekong River. Members of the research team have also visited the other five Lancang-Mekong member countries -Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam-four times and held talks with more than 30 agencies, including government departments, enterprises and research institutions.

The project stands out for its cooperative characteristics at the international level. As it has progressed, IWEP has been commissioning different think tanks and academic institutions in the other five Lancang-Mekong member countries to conduct joint research and establish a network of think tanks. The research institutes involved have all been prestigious think tanks or universities in their respective countries, including the Cambodia Development Resource Institute (CDRI), the Lao Economic Research Institute for Industry and Trade, the Monywa University of Economics in Myanmar, the Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies, the Thailand Kasikorn Research Center and the Institute of World Economics and Politics of the Vietnamese Academy of Social Sciences. These institutes have carried out the drafting of different reports at the national level for the project and supported and complemented the work done in IWEP field studies in their respective countries. The final reports provided by these countries have adopted a drafting framework consistent with the design developed by IWEP.

The IWEP research team has also been constantly coordinating the operation of the entire project, writing up the main report for this work and the reports for China. Zhang Yuyan is the leader of the project, while Song Hong has taken ultimate responsibility for its overall operation. The main report in the book was co-authored by Zhang Yuyan, Song Hong, Ni Yueju, Gao Lingyun, Su Qingyi and Zhang Lin, and Dong Yan, Ma Tao and Li Chunding participated in their respective discussions. The national report on China was authored by Song Hong. In the process of drafting the national reports for the other five Lancang-Mekong member countries, Su Qingyi, Gao Lingyun, Li Chunding, Ma Tao and Zhang Lin have been responsible for communicating with the respective authors of the five countries, finalizing the manuscripts and reviewing the Chinese language translation of the book. During the project implementation and book publishing process, Su Qingyi has done important coordination work, while Ni Yueju, Dong Yan, Zhang Lin and others have played significant roles in project coordination and conference and financial management.

We would like to thank the China Secretariat of the LMC, under China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the party in charge of the project and, in particular, Ji Lingpeng, head of the Secretariat. Ji has constantly given us invaluable support, from the project design and implementation of international conferences for the project, through our research work and ending with the writing of the book and other relevant aspects, which has allowed the project to be developed and concluded smoothly, contributing to the entrusting party placing significant value on the research results. Dr. Liang Xiaohui, principal researcher at the Social Responsibility Office of China’s National Textile and Apparel Council, has also participated in the project and provided support with international conferences, field studies and other related aspects.

Partners in the other five Lancang-Mekong countries have actively participated in international meetings, field research and written reports for the project. In particular, Phalla Chem of the Cambodia Development Resource Institute (CDRI), Viengsavang Thipphavong of the Lao Economic Research Institute for Industry and Trade, Khin Maung Nyo of the Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies, and Nguyen Binh Giang of the Institute of World Economics and Politics of the Vietnamese Academy of Social Sciences, have done significant support work during the development of the project. Zhu Mingzheng, a student at CASS Graduate School, has assisted in the compilation and editing of this book. Wang Yin, director of China Social Sciences Press, has actively promoted the publication of this book, and Fan Chenxing, editor of this book, has completed the editing work to a high standard. We would like to extend our most sincere gratitude to all of them.

Given that capacity cooperation is an important part of the LMC, this book focuses on cooperation in the textile and apparel industry, providing research support for greater understanding and promotion of capacity cooperation among Lancang-Mekong countries in specific industries. This research develops macro-level research, which is specific, realistic and providing practical value. However, we note that any study has deficiencies and even errors, so we welcome any kind of criticism or correction that may arise from it.

Yuyan Zhang and Hong Song