HCM City (VNA) – Vietnam and Cambodia have reiterated theirdetermination to bolster close cooperation in order to build a shared border ofpeace, friendship, collaboration, and development.

The information was contained in a joint statement issued following the 10thmeeting on cooperation and development between border localities of the twonations, co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign AffairsPham Binh Minh and Cambodian Deputy PM and Interior Minister Sar Kheng in HoChi Minh City from January 9-10.

Both sides hailed the frequent visit exchange of high-level leaders since the ninthmeeting, as well as efforts made by competent ministries and sectors inbuilding legal frameworks and realising cooperative mechanisms to facilitate mutualsupport between border provinces.

They encouraged investment and support for border localities and agreed thatboth nations should increase coordination so as to better and more promptlycope with challenges in the areas concerned.

Speaking highly of the significance of security-defence cooperation in keepingpeace and stability in each nation, they said that they are adamant inforbidding any hostile force to use their country’s territory to harm theother’s security.

The two sides expressed their delight over the robust cooperation in the fieldsof economy, trade, and investment, and were unanimous in prioritising economicconnection towards the bilateral trade target of 5 billion USD as set by thetwo governments. In welcoming the project to upgrade the border gates in TanNam of Tay Ninh province and Mon Chay of Pray Veng province, and give them“international” status, they said they will work to open more border gatesbetween the two countries in the coming time.

The neighbouring nations were in agreement to accelerate the construction ofborder roads and bridges to facilitate travel. Measures to consolidate andfoster cooperation in the agro-forestry-fishery sector were also outlined inthe document.

Regarding healthcare cooperation, they encouraged border localities to continuesupporting each other in human resources training.

Meanwhile, tourism popularisation will be promoted in the border areas as well.

Besides collaboration in communication work, they praised the efforts ofrelevant authorities in the land border demarcation and marker planting work,and said that they will complete two documents recognising the achievement ofcompleting 84 percent of demarcation workload on land by mid-2019.

The 11th meeting will be held in Cambodia in 2020. –VNA