17th joint Mekong patrol begins

China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand launched their 17th joint patrol along the Mekong River on Thursday.

Patrol ships set sail at 8 a.m. from Guanlei Port in Xishuangbanna,southwest China's Yunnan province.

During the four-day patrol, the four countries will carry out joint checks and drills. They will also hold seminars on joint rescue and exchange information, according to a statement from Chinese authorities.

The move is aimed at improving the four nations' capabilities in coping with security and handling emergencies along the waterway to ensure the lives and properties of people along the river are safe.

Regular patrols along the river have been conducted since December 2011 after the murders of 13 Chinese sailors by a gang in the waters of Thailand raised concerns about safety along the busy trading route in the Golden Triangle Region.

A total of 134 ships and 2,455 law enforcement staff have been sent during the last 16 patrols, the statement said.