Vietnam, Cambodia affirm to allow no third party to harm the other’s security

Home / News

Linh Pham 11:02, 2019/10/05

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen made the statement in his visit to Hanoi, the second tour to Vietnam within the past 10 months.

Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen has affirmed that Cambodia and Vietnam countries will cooperate to keep maritime and air security in the region.

Cambodia's Prime Minister Samdec Hun Sen visits Vietnam on October 4-5. Photo: VnExpress

The two countries vowed to cooperate for the stability and security of each country, allowing no third party to use this country’s territory to harm the other’s security, local media reported. Hun Sen paid a two-day visit to Vietnam beginning October 4.

In the joint press conference on October 4, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said the two countries were determined to keep the regional security and settle maritime disputes abiding by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.

Vietnam and Cambodia have signed seven agreements during Hun Sen’s visit to Hanoi, his second trip to Vietnam after the previous one in December 2018 since Cambodia’s sixth general election in mid-2018.

The seven agreements include two on Vietnamese funding to Cambodian Parliament building project; and funding a drug rehabilitation location in Preah Sihanouk province; and five memorandums of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in customs; trade promotion; development of border trade; construction and handing over of border market in Cambodian Tbong Khmum province; and on power sector.

More importantly, the two countries signed two agreements on the border demarcation saying they have completed 84% of the whole volume, setting up foundations for the demarcation completion, and contributing to the friendship and mutual development, local media reported.

In the meeting on October 4, the two PMs agreed to continue the friendship on the basis of reliability, equality, and mutual respect for common interests.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen in Hanoi on October 4. Photo: QP

Politic cooperation

The two governments’ leaders agreed with the importance of maintaining peace and security in the region, affirmed to cooperate to build up ASEAN, to boost the development of Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam triangle and the Greater Mekong Subregion with a focus on sustainable usage of Mekong river and pursuing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, and cooperate in Vietnam’s Chairmanship of ASEAN and Cambodia’s Hosting of the 13th Asia-Europe Summit (ASEM) in 2020.

Hun Sen thanked Vietnam for non-refundable aid to Cambodia’s Parliament building, drug rehabilitation center in Preah Sihanouk, Cambodia’s border market, scholarships to Cambodian students and state cadres.

The two PMs agreed to seek suitable legal mechanism for the Vietnamese community in Cambodia in order to help them settle down and contribute to Cambodia’s socio-economic development.

Economic strengthening

The two countries agreed to boost economic ties, mainly the connectivity between roads, waterways, energy, tourism, finance, banking among others.

Accordingly, the two sides will conduct measures to promote trade and investment, including policies facilitating the two countries’ businesses, mostly small- and medium-sized enterprises.

Vietnam and Cambodia expect the two-way trade to reach US$5 billion in 2020 but the figure is likely to exceed the target at the end of this year.

Comments