Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister NguyenXuan Phuc received Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of NationalDefence Tea Banh, and Lao Minister of National Defence Chansamone Channhalatin Hanoi on December 19.

PM Phuc welcomed the two ministers’ visits toVietnam and attendance at the 75th founding anniversary of the Vietnam People’sArmy (December 22, 1944).

The PM said Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia arethree neighbouring countries with shared border lines, adding that the nations arealso members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Over the past time, the trilateral relationshave been continuously consolidated and developed in various fields based onthe respect for each country’s independence, self-reliance, sovereignty,territorial integrity, equality, and mutual benefits, he said.

The effective implementation of the developmenttriangle cooperation programme linking the Central Highlands of Vietnam, thenortheast of Cambodia, and the southeast of Laos has helped improve lives of localpeople and ensure political stability, security, and defence in the respectivecountries, PM Phuc added.

In the context of complicated and unpredictabledevelopments in the region and the world, the three countries are affected bycommon challenges such as cross-border crime, drug crime, human trafficking,free emigration, trans-national smuggling, and particularly the destruction ofhostile forces, he added.

Given that, the three nations should enhancecooperation, especially in defence and security to maintain a peaceful andstable environment in each country and the region at large, PM Phuc suggested.

Tea Banh informed the Vietnamese PM about thegood outcomes of a joint rescue drill at a border area in Vietnam’s Long Anprovince and Cambodia’s Svay Rieng province. 

Meanwhile, Chansamone Channhalat said Laoswill support Vietnam to fulfill important external tasks in 2020, including therole of ASEAN Chair and non-permanent member of the United Nations SecurityCouncil for 2020-2021.

They are not historical events of Vietnam but ofthe three Indochinese countries, he said.

The minister noted that Laos will hostactivities later this month to mark the 70th anniversary of the traditional dayof Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts in Laos (October 30) to expressdeep gratitude to them.

PM Phuc highly appreciated the three countries’defence ministries for actively supporting each other at regional andinternational forums, especially at the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM)and ADMM+.

He asked the ministers to convey his bestregards to Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith and Cambodian Prime MinisterHun Sen as well as other government leaders of the two countries./.