KUNMING, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- The 97th Mekong River joint patrol by China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand concluded Friday, with three Chinese law-enforcement vessels and 76 law-enforcement officers returning home to port.

A total of 106 law-enforcement officers from the four countries participated in the operation, with five vessels navigating 620 km of the river over a period of four days and three nights, according to the Yunnan provincial public security department.

Law-enforcement officers from the countries also exchanged views and reached consensus on jointly cracking down on stowaways and fighting against COVID-19 in the area during the patrol.

The Mekong River, known as the Lancang River in China, is a vital waterway for cross-border shipping among China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand have been carrying out joint patrols on the Mekong River for eight years.