VIENTIANE: Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had a working breakfast with his Lao and Cambodian counterparts, Sonexay Siphandone and Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet, respectively, in Vientiane on Wednesday (Oct 8) to review, evaluate, and promote cooperation among the three countries.
At the event, held while they were there to attend the 44th and 45th Asean Summits, the three PMs highlighted the tradition of solidarity, close bonds, and mutual support among the countries, describing it as a valuable asset.
They agreed that many tripartite cooperation mechanisms have been formed and implemented effectively, practically contributing to the reinforcement of relations among the three countries.
Defence-security remains an important pillar in the Vietnam-Lao-Cambodia partnership, they said, adding that economy-trade-investment collaboration has recorded strong progress.
At the same time, people-to-people exchange programmes have been diverse, while cooperation through the Party channel has played the core role, guiding the growth of ties among the three countries.
The three PMs concurred to coordinate together to successfully organise a meeting for the leaders of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, and the Cambodian People’s Party.
They also pledged maintain regular bilateral and tripartite meetings at high and all levels across all levels, and increase exchanges among young leaders and the youth of the three countries.
They held that economic and trade cooperation among Vietnam, Laos,and Cambodia needs to have strategic breakthroughs to match the stature of their political ties and the potential and strengths of each country.
The leaders agreed to join hands in strengthening cooperation to ensure security, safety, and order in the border areas, especially that among the three countries, while promoting development cooperation along the border.
Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia will maintain the principle of not allowing hostile forces to use the territory of one country to harm the security of the others, they pledged, and agreed to well organise the annual meeting among the three countries' defence ministers and the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Ministerial Conference on crime prevention and suppression.
The PMs concurred to seek solutions for expanding bilateral and tripartite cooperation mechanisms in a more effective and substantive manner for the interest of the people of the three countries and the whole Asean Community, continuing to make contributions to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region.
PM Chính took the occasion to thank the Lao and Cambodian Governments and ask for their continued support to the community of people of the Vietnamese origin in their countries to settle down and integrate into the host society.
The three PMs vowed to continue to support each other at international forums, especially Asean and the UN, and support Cambodia to successfully host the 20th Francophonie Summit in 2026. — Vietnam News/ANN
