[Vietnamization] Vietnam, Cambodia advance border province cooperation

See background and list of sister provinces: The Vietnamization of Kampuchea: A New Model of Colonialism (Indochina Report, October 1984)

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh (R) and his Cambodian counterpart Sar Kheng exchange a souvenir gift before the meeting on October 28, 2015. Photo: Thanh Vu/VNA

Vietnam, Cambodia advance border province cooperation

VNA / Thanh Nien News | 28 October 2015

They agreed to hasten land border demarcation and marker planting and pledged not to allow hostile forces use their respective territories to sabotage the other nation’s security and stability. Meanwhile, the two countries will strengthen collaboration and prevent transnational crimes along their shared border.

Vietnam and Cambodia Wednesday agreed on directions and measures to bolster cooperation between their border provinces and effectively settle arising and complex issues, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

The eighth meeting on border province cooperation and development, held in Ho Chi Minh City October 27-28, was co-chaired by Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Sar Kheng.

The participants also included Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Thach Du, Cambodian Ambassador to Vietnam Hul Phany, and representatives of 10 Vietnamese border provinces and nine conjoining localities of Cambodia.

The two Deputy PMs reviewed progress in the countries’ relations since the previous meeting in March 2012, saying the solidification of Vietnam-Cambodia’s traditional amity and comprehensive cooperation had contributed to peace, stability, cooperation and development in areas along the shared border.

The two sides have maintained regular delegation exchanges at all levels and cooperation mechanisms, they said, highlighting the success of the 14th meeting of the countries’ joint committee on economic, cultural and scientific-technological cooperation in Ho Chi Minh City on October 18-19.

Data shows that bilateral trade between Vietnam and Cambodia reached US$2.3 billion in the first eight months of 2015, up 4 percent from a year earlier.

Vietnam is currently the second biggest investor in Cambodia with 172 projects worth $3.61 billion.

The officials at the meeting applauded joint efforts by the two neighbors’ ministries, sectors and border localities to implement agreements reached at the seventh meeting.

Both countries have worked closely to manage the joint border, boost socio-economic development and improve border residents’ livelihoods while participating in routine and unscheduled meetings, helping resolve emerging incidents, ensuring border security and stability, and enhancing friendship and solidarity between the two peoples.

The two countries’ border provinces have also offered practical mutual support in road construction, personnel training, high-yield plant variety exchanges and cultural and sports activities.

At the Wednesday meeting, the officials agreed to tighten connections between their ministries, sectors and localities, actively implement signed agreements, promote cross-border trading to achieve the targeted $5 billion trade revenue in the near future and facilitate their investments in the respective countries.

The two sides will also step up mutual assistance in agro-forestry-fishery industries, healthcare and personnel training along with upgrades to border traffic and commercial facilities.

They agreed to hasten land border demarcation and marker planting and pledged not to allow hostile forces use their respective territories to sabotage the other nation’s security and stability. Meanwhile, the two countries will strengthen collaboration and prevent transnational crimes along their shared border.

The nations will increase people-to-people exchanges and border resident education, especially among the youth, about their time-honored amity, solidarity and cooperation.

Concluding the function, the two sides issued a joint communiqué. The ninth meeting on border province cooperation and development is set to take place in Cambodia in 2016.