The Chinese government is to spend US$5m on dredging a 331km section of the Mekong River, reported Xinhua. The section lies between Laos and the China-Burma border.
The section forms part of the Lancang- Mekong river course that opened to commercial navigation last June. Shipping can now navigate unrestricted for nearly 900km between Simao port in Yunnan province to Louang Prabang port in Laos.