Vietnam and Cambodia vow to facilitate cross border cooperation

The agreement was reached at the 12th conference on cooperation and development of border localities between Vietnam and Cambodia held in Tay Ninh province on April 25. The conference was co-chaired by Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister cum Minister of the Interior Krolahom Sar Kheng.

The two sides reaffirmed the principle of not allowing any hostile force to use the territory of one country to harm the interests of the other. They vowed to work closely to effectively implement the signed documents relating to land border work, and popularize these documents to build a common border of peace, friendship, stability, cooperation and sustainable development.

They agreed to effectively develop the land border gate system between the two countries, including opening and upgrading the agreed border gate pairs, and promote investment in infrastructure and transport facilities connecting the two countries’ border areas and connecting the border gate area with the major economic hubs of each country.

The two sides showed resolve to maintain the growth of bilateral trade in general and border trade activities in particular, boost the effective implementation of the November 2022 Border Trade Agreement, and encourage their businesses to seek opportunities to jointly develop the Cambodia-Vietnam Special Economic Zone in Cambodian provinces bordering the two countries.

They encouraged their border localities to ramp up cooperation in the fields of transportation, agriculture, forestry and fishery, water resources and meteorology, energy, education, social affairs, culture and sports, tourism, health care, justice, information and communication, as well as increasing people-to-people exchanges.

At the event, the two Deputy PMs held that despite complicated developments regionally and globally, the two countries have reinforced cooperative relations in all fields and at all levels, including between their border localities.

The two sides have maintained regular high-level visits and effectively implemented important cooperation mechanisms, including the 20th meeting of the Vietnam-Cambodia Joint Committee on economic, cultural, scientific and technological cooperation in March 2023.

Economic, trade and investment cooperation is a major pillar in bilateral relations. Two-way trade between the two countries has grown strongly, reaching more than US$10.57 billion last year, a year-on-year rise of nearly 11%. Vietnam is currently Cambodia’s third largest trading partner after China and the US and is Cambodia’s largest trading partner in ASEAN.

To date, Vietnam has 205 valid investment projects in Cambodia with a total registered capital of US$2.92 billion, ranking first in ASEAN and in the top five foreign investors in Cambodia.

Cooperation in other fields such as defence, security, energy, transport connectivity, agriculture, forestry and fishery, education and training, culture, information and tourism has increasingly been promoted.

Cooperation between border localities of the two countries has comprehensively been enhanced, yielding many positive results. The administrations and people of border provinces have regularly exchanged delegations, maintained cooperation channels, and supported each other in economic development, infrastructure construction, health care, education, and social security.

Relevant forces and local administrations of the two countries have joined hands to maintain security and order in the border area.