A boy looks for fish in a nearly dry canal in the Long Phu district in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang in early March. Photos by Xinhua, Wang Jian / China Daily and provided to China Daily

"We need to keep in mind that the water volume of the Lancang River in China is less than 20 percent of the total water volume of the Mekong River," he said.

Zhang said other countries that have tributaries of the Mekong must step up efforts to store more water during flood season to help alleviate drought during the river's dry season.

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh told VNA that, since China's increased water release, Laos has followed its example and released water from its dams, further helping to increase the Mekong's water level.

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