Vietnam, Cambodia to enhance ties in border management, defence

The meeting between the Border Guard High Command of Vietnam and the Ministry of National Defence of Cambodia in Chau Doc city, An Giang province, on August 27 (Photo: VNA)

The event, held in Chau Doc city of Vietnam’s southern province of An Giang, was part of the two countries’ border friendship exchange programme.

The Vietnamese delegation was led by Lt. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien, member of the Party Central Committee, member of the Central Military Commission and Commander of the Vietnam Border Guard High Command.

Participating Cambodian officials included Gen. Hun Manet, Commander of the Royal Cambodian Army; Gen. Sao Sokha, Commander of the Royal Gendarmerie of Cambodia; and Gen. Siek Socheat, head of the border affairs office of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces.

At the meeting, the two sides said the countries’ border defence forces need to continue creating favourable conditions for border demarcation and border marker planting to be completed as scheduled. They also need to protect the achievements attained so far to serve the signing of a border agreement, helping build a Vietnam-Cambodia border of peace, stability, friendship and cooperation.

The two sides’ forces will work together to tackle incidents occurring along the shared border in accordance with the agreement on border regulations and other deals between the two governments, and in a spirit of friendship, cooperation and not allowing hostile forces to sabotage bilateral ties.

They will also coordinate to maintain political security and social order and safety while investigating and preventing crimes, particularly cross-border organised crimes and terrorism.

The officials also agreed to coordinate in the prevention of illegal exit from and entry into each country, fight against non-traditional crimes, search and rescue in disasters, and prevention of illegal deforestation and exploitation of agricultural and forest products in border areas.

Additionally, border defence forces of Vietnam and Cambodia will join hands to facilitate border residents’ travel to receive medical examination and treatment, visit relatives and exchange goods.

They will give counselling about friendship promotion in border areas to local authorities; step up communications to boost locals’ adherence to the agreement on border management regulations and each country’s law; and encourage border residents to engage in preventing illegal exit and entry, fighting smuggling and reinforcing solidarity.

Both sides agreed to take part in border friendship programmes at all levels to strengthen friendship, mutual understanding and cooperation between their authorities and relevant forces.

Also on August 27, Vietnamese Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh received the delegation of the Cambodian Ministry of National Defence.

Vietnam and Cambodia share 1,137km of land border that runs across 10 Vietnamese and nine Cambodian provinces.