Tay Ninh (VNA) – Vietnamese and Cambodian ministries, agencies and localities will coordinate in building and perfecting legal frameworks and cooperation mechanisms to facilitate collaboration between border provinces, as agreed at a conference in the southwestern province of Tay Ninh on April 25.

The 12th meeting on cooperation and development between border provinces of Vietnam and Cambodia was co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Samdech Krolahom Sar Kheng.

The officials noted with pleasure the good cooperation and close coordination between the two countries, including their border provinces, since the 11th meeting in October 2021.

The two sides have maintained high-level visits and effectively implemented major cooperation mechanisms, including the 20th meeting of the Vietnam-Cambodia Joint Commission on Economic, Cultural, Scientific and Technological Cooperation in Hanoi last March, they noted.

The Deputy PMs also reviewed economic, trade and investment ties, which remain a bright spot of the bilateral relations, with two-way trade exceeding 10.57 billion USD last year, up nearly 11% from 2021.

Vietnam is now Cambodia’s third biggest trade partner, after China and the US, and the country’s biggest trade partner in ASEAN. Vietnam is running 205 projects worth 2.94 billion USD in the neighbouring country, ranking first in ASEAN and fifth among foreign investors in Cambodia.

Cambodia ranks second among the 79 countries and territories in which Vietnam has poured investment.

Collaboration in other fields like national defence, security, energy, transport, agro-forestry-fishery, education-training, culture, information and tourism has also been enhanced.

Cooperation between border provinces has produced positive results, with regular delegation exchanges and mutual support in economic development, infrastructure, health care, education and social welfare.

Joint efforts have been made in ensuring security in border areas, and border trade has been growing. The two countries signed an agreement on border trade on the occasion of the visit to Cambodia by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in November 2022.

The two sides agreed to maintain the principle of not allowing any hostile forces to use one’s territory to harm interests of the other, and closely coordinate to effectively materialise legal documents regarding land border issues.

The information work will be stepped up to encourage residents and authorities of border provinces to further consolidate and build a common border of peace, friendship, cooperation and sustainable development.

The two sides will invest more in border gates and stay resolved to maintain the bilateral trade in general and border trade in particular, while encouraging border provinces to enhance cooperation in transport, agro-forestry-fishery, water resources, meteorology, energy, education, social affairs, culture, sports, tourism, healthcare, justice, information and communications, among others.

The conference approved a report and a joint statement.

The 13th conference is scheduled to be held in Cambodia in 2024./.