Chinese Minister of Information Industry Wang Xudong arrived in Yangon Sunday on a visit Myanmar to enhance cooperation between the two countries in information and communications technology (ICT) sector as part of the proposed information superhighway network (ISN) project of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS).

During the visit, Wang will call on Myanmar Prime Minister General Soe Win and have discussions with Brigadier-General Thein Zaw, Minister of Communications, Posts and Telegraphs on cooperation in the Myanmar section of the GMS ISN project.

In July last year, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on planning and construction of the GMS ISN was signed by the GMS member countries at the Second GMS Summit held in Kunming, China.

Along with the MoU, four other framework agreements were also inked then by the GMS members, which include those on cross-border transport, control and prevention of infectious disease in GMS, regional power trade, and cooperation in rules and regulations and guidelines.

Initiated by the Asian Development Bank, the GMS-Economic Cooperation was founded in 1992 to bring together six countries -- China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam along the Mekong River.

Since then, Myanmar has worked for closer economic ties together with other members of the grouping by taking part in the implementation of the GMS programs which prioritized some 100 projects in eight sectors, including investment, trade, transport, tourism, telecommunications, energy, environment and human resources development.

The 4,500-km Mekong River, originating from China, runs through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

The GMS has a combined land area of nearly 2.3 million square- kilometers and home to more than 250 million people.

Source: Xinhua