BEIJING - Shipping along the Mekong River is running smoothly as the four-nation joint patrols are operating in a normal way after a deadly attack in October, a senior Chinese official from the southwestern Yunnan province said Saturday.

China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand have conducted two joint patrols along the river in a normal way under the joint patrol mechanism, according to Meng Sutie, a chief Communist Party official in charge of political and legal affairs in Yunnan.

Besides the joint patrols, there are some other cooperation mechanisms along the river to safeguard security in the region, Chinese nationals' safety and the interests of local residents, Meng said on the sidelines of the top legislature's annual session.

Chinese police in mid-December started joint patrols with their counterparts from Laos, Myanmar and Thailand to maintain security along the Mekong River, a major transport passage in the region.

Shipping on the Mekong River had been suspended after two cargo ships were attacked on October 5, resulting in the murder of 13 Chinese sailors.