China's decision to discharge water from the Jinghong hydropower station in Yunnan province, allowing it to flow down the Mekong River to help alleviate water shortages downstream, was praised by the Foreign Ministry yesterday.

“The discharge proves again the good cooperation on water resource management between the Mekong countries and China,” the ministry said in a statement. The increased flow began on Tuesday and will last through April 10.

Plagued by the El Niño cycle, global climate change and the growing number of dams intersecting the Mekong, 48 communes spread across seven provinces face water shortages as they await the arrival of rainy season, according to the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology.