Vietnam’s foreign ministry on Thursday called on countries to use the Mekong River’s water resources sustainably following China’s testing of its Jinghong dam last week.

Jinghong is a hydroelectric power station located in China's southwest province of Yunnan.

At a press briefing on Thursday, the foreign ministry’s spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang was asked for Vietnam’s reaction to China’s tool testing of the Jinghong dam between January 1 and 4.

Hang said Vietnam pays attention to, studies, and assesses activities relating to the Mekong River’s water resources.

“The country holds that aside from the legitimate interests in using the Mekong River’s water resources, the relevant countries also have common responsibility for using the river’s water in an equitable and sustainable manner, and ensuring the balanced interests of all countries the river runs through, for the sake of peace and sustainable development of the region,” the spokeswoman added.

The Jinghong dam is one of six hydroelectric power stations in Yunnan, all of which are located upstream the trans-boundary Mekong River that flows through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

China’s Ministry of Water Resources announced the equipment testing at the Jinghong dam on December 30, 2019.

According to the announcement, water outflows from the dam were forecast to be reduced by up to 50 percent during the testing phase.

The tests came during a period of severe drought across the Mekong countries.

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