Aerial view of the beautiful Qinghai and the source of the Three Rivers. (Qinghai Daily | Qi Guobiao)

Facing the camera, Wu Xiaohan shared her feelings about participating in the event. The photo was provided by the interviewee.

“At the source of the Three Rivers, there are no vast rivers, only shallow streams. On the earth, the small streams of shallow streams stretch freely towards and also naturally converges into rivers……”

In August, when Wu Xiaohan came to Qinghai for the third time as the Executive Vice Chairman of the Thailand China Economic Association, she always remembered the scene of her first upstream trip, which was the chilly autumn afternoon when she stepped into the wilderness at the source of the Lancang River. At that time, she didn't know that the Mekong River, which flowed thousands of miles, was originally just a small stream on the land of the Three Rivers Source; She never expected that this first glimpse of Jiangyuan would break the long-standing stereotype of Qinghai among the overseas public, and let the clear water of one river lead the fate of the six countries of Lancang and Mekong to cross.

At that time, Wu Xiaohan, as the chief editor of the integrated media of "Thai Style" magazine, came to Qinghai for the first time. It was just this journey that completely overturned her decades long stereotypical imagination of Qinghai.

In the perception of many Thai people, Qinghai, located in distant China, has always been a place labeled as remote, cold, and barren. Long ago, Wu Xiaohan heard of the plight of this plateau from Qinghai people who traveled to Guangdong for business. Through the news footage of the 2010 Yushu earthquake, the impression of high altitude and harsh conditions deeply rooted in her heart. She never imagined that the source of civilization and vitality of the Mekong River, which nourishes the five ASEAN countries and flows thousands of miles, is hidden on this misunderstood plateau.

The ten thousand mile journey in the Lancang-Mekong River Basin became an opportunity to break down her cognitive barriers.

In the autumn of 2021, through the large-scale interview activity of "Drinking the same river water and talking about the Lancang-Mekong situation", Wu Xiaohan traced the source of the river and visited Qinghai. Before departure, she carefully planned this interview trip.

“Many Thai citizens are still unfamiliar with the relationship between origin and flow through of the Lancang-Mekong Basin. Seizing this opportunity, the experiences and observations from this trip will be published in a pictorial format on platforms like the magazine Thai Winds and other new media outlets, telling the story of Lancang-Mekong cooperation from the perspective and charm of the local people. In the early years, I got to know Yushu due to an earthquake, and now I want to see what Yushu looks like after post earthquake reconstruction and poverty alleviation.”

Traveling upstream, the true ecological landscape of the source of the Lancang River gave her the most shocking answer. There are no roaring rivers or huge waves, only countless streams freely stretching and naturally converging. This is the unique ecological rhythm of the plateau and the root of the endless vitality of the Lancang -Mekong River Basin.

After returning to Thailand, Wu Xiaohan wrote a series of in-depth reports with a delicate and sincere writing style, which were continuously published in the Thai Style magazine and various new media platforms. Unlike previous one-sided and stereotypical overseas reports, her documentary writing comprehensively showcases the beauty of the ecology, the changes in reconstruction, and the new development of this land.

“When I arrived at Jiegu Town in Yushu City, the city was greeted with a strong Tibetan style, and the brightly lit mountain city was like a pure land in a beautiful dream. After the rebirth of Nirvana, Yushu has integrated the concept of 'smart city' into the urban construction of post disaster reconstruction, promoting the direction of 'refinement, networking, and intelligence' in urban management. A new Yushu with jumping development and intelligent characteristics is growing.”

“The reporter visited an exhibition of Tibetan intangible cultural heritage in Zaduo County, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, which greatly broadened my horizons and shocked me. The Tibetan traditional culture has been given the best respect, protection, excavation and inheritance by the government, and guided into the market, so that the original ecology and modernity can accommodate each other. Through the express train of the Internet, it has gone out of the mountains, producing greater social and economic benefits, and gradually improving and enhancing the quality of life of Tibetan compatriots.”

“The most memorable scene for the reporter was on October 16th, while driving from Yushu City to Zaduo County, at the Lancang River Park Nature Reserve of the Sanjiangyuan National Park Management Bureau in Qinghai Province. In the exhibition hall, I heard a Tibetan cadre's account. This tall and sturdy Tibetan man is named Niga and is the head of the Lancang River Park Management Committee. Regarding ecological protection, we neither have textbooks nor blindly follow foreign experiences. Based on the actual situation of the Three Rivers Source, we have explored a Chinese style path for ecological protection. When facing places that have been damaged by nature or human activities, we adopt the principle of ecological and natural restoration, no longer engaging in human destruction, but respecting the laws of nature……”

“At the entrance of the exhibition hall of the protection station, there is a pair of couplets written in both Tibetan and Chinese, which reads: Protect the ecological environment like protecting your eyes; Treat the ecological environment as if it were life. This is the attitude and realm of the local people towards ecology.”

“Through on-site interviews with the three sources of the 'Zhonghua Water Tower' and exploring the source of the Lancang River, the reporter finally understood a truth: what is meant by 'thousands of streams converging into a river', and what is meant by 'thousands of rivers converging into a sea'? These are not only poetic, but also the true ecology and ecological laws of the waters at the source of the Lancang River.”

……

With the series of reports quickly causing widespread response from various sectors in Thailand, the public has refreshed their understanding of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and begun to yearn for the pure scenery and unique culture of Jiangyuan; The Thai business community is focusing on the cultural and tourism industries of clean energy, characteristic agriculture and animal husbandry, and intangible cultural heritage in Qinghai, actively exploring opportunities for cross-border cooperation; Through numerous self media reposts and interpretations, the story of the origin of the Lancang- Mekong region has become a hot topic of discussion among Thai people.

A river connects six countries, and a common river source promotes a shared destiny.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, and the development pattern of coordinated governance and mutual benefit between the upper and lower reaches of the Lancang-Mekong River Basin has become increasingly clear. In the past decade, the trade volume between China and the five Mekong countries has exceeded 500 billion US dollars, and increased of about 150% compared to 10 years ago. The category of goods transported by the China-Laos railway, known as the "golden corridor," has expanded from over 10 types in the initial to over 3900 types, radiating to 19 countries and regions, serving more than 7000 domestic foreign trade entities. The Lancang-Mekong Cooperation has transformed from its initial concept into a real development dividend.

With the transformation of identity from media professionals who record landscapes to grassroots promoters of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, Wu Xiaohan deeply realized that if ecological protection is the foundation of Qinghai, then the symbiotic development of inheritance and innovation in industries is the bright color of the plateau's opening-up to the outside world.

At Qinghai Shengyuan Carpet Group, Wu Xiaohan witnessed the iteration and rebirth of traditional craftsmanship on the plateau. Standing in front of the spacious handmade carpet, she couldn't help but sigh, "Thai silk is world-renowned, but most of them are narrow fabrics. But the handmade carpets in Qinghai can weave a complete picture several meters wide. The texture of plateau wool is within reach, and ancient patterns are integrated into modern design. This is the unique power of plateau craftsmanship

“Xining has left me with a vibrant urban impression. At night, the entire city is brightly lit with neon lights, and this highland city cleverly blends its original culture with modern fashion into a beautiful whole. I think this city is a rapidly developing city in the western region, and it is also moving towards internationalization and urbanization at a fast pace.”

The vibrant urban landscape and steady development trend demonstrate a new pattern of Qinghai's opening-up to the outside world. According to economic and trade data, Qinghai's total export value to Thailand reached 76.98 million yuan in 2025, and the export value from January to July this year reached 49.69 million yuan. For example, The export of characteristic products such as monocrystalline silicon rods, salt lake chemicals, and rainbow trout has become a solid link for economic and trade exchanges in the Lancang-Mekong River Basin.

“Tourism and food are the easiest two-way channels to connect, which is a good opportunity for both sides to deepen cooperation.” In Wu Xiaohan's eyes, cultural and tourism connectivity, economic and trade connectivity, and people to people connectivity have jointly painted the most vivid picture of Lancang-Mekong cooperation.“I live upstream of the river, and you live downstream of the river. The emotions between each other are infinite, for we share the same river water.” At the end of the interview, the originally gloomy plateau sky gradually cleared up, the clouds and mist dissipated, and the sky and earth suddenly became clear. Looking at the mountains and the blue sky in the distance, Wu Xiaohan softly recited this famous poem that transcends time and space. This Lancang River connects the mountains and rivers of six countries, as well as her inexplicable relationship with Qinghai. From misunderstandings and initial acquaintance to deep love and cultivation, the journey of tracing back has enabled her to understand the richness of Qinghai culture and the vitality of life.

Once, Qinghai was just a vague name appeared in books and news across the Mekong River; Nowadays, the Mekong River has transformed into a lively and flowing water, became the source coordinates for win-win cooperation between the Lancang-Mekong region and a new hotbed for openness and development. Despite experienced three trips to Qinghai, Wu Xiaohan still feels fresh and longing.

“There are still many places in Qinghai that I haven't had the chance to visit. I really like the local customs and traditions , and I will come back in the future to visit more and see more. I also want to invite more Thai friends to come to Qinghai and see for themselves, while getting to know the real Qinghai.”(Qinghai Daily | Xian Wenjing)