Vientiane, October 09, 2024 – The Europe Today: Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính of Vietnam convened a senior meeting with his counterparts, Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet, in Vientiane on Wednesday. The gathering was aimed at reviewing, evaluating, and promoting cooperation among the three nations during their attendance at the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits.
During the working breakfast, the three leaders emphasized the longstanding tradition of solidarity, mutual support, and close bonds among their countries. They described these qualities as invaluable assets and the foundation for developing cooperative relations and mutual trust, which are crucial for fostering solidarity among them.
The Prime Ministers acknowledged the effective implementation of various tripartite cooperation mechanisms, which have significantly reinforced relations among Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. They identified defense and security as vital pillars of their partnership, while also noting the substantial progress made in economic, trade, and investment collaboration. Additionally, diverse people-to-people exchange programs and cooperation through party channels were highlighted as core elements guiding the growth of their ties.
The leaders agreed to coordinate efforts to successfully organize a meeting for the leaders of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, and the Cambodian People’s Party in the near future. They also committed to ensuring national security, promoting development in each country, maintaining regular high-level bilateral and tripartite meetings, and enhancing exchanges among young leaders and youth from the three nations.
Recognizing the need for strategic breakthroughs in economic and trade cooperation to align with their political ties and the potential of each country, the Prime Ministers expressed their commitment to strengthening cooperation to ensure security and order in their border areas. They pledged to focus on optimizing the efficiency of the land border gate system and enhancing infrastructure connectivity and economic links among their economies, thereby facilitating exchange and cooperation.
The leaders reiterated their commitment to the principle of not allowing hostile forces to use the territory of one country to undermine the security of the others. They also agreed to organize the annual meeting among the defense ministers of the three countries and the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Ministerial Conference on crime prevention and suppression.
In conclusion, the Prime Ministers pledged to seek effective solutions for expanding bilateral and tripartite cooperation mechanisms for the benefit of their peoples and the broader ASEAN community, contributing to peace, stability, and development in the region.
Prime Minister Chính expressed gratitude to the governments of Laos and Cambodia for their continued support of the Vietnamese community in their countries, encouraging integration and positive contributions to local growth and the trilateral relationship. The leaders vowed to support each other in international forums, particularly within ASEAN and the UN, and to assist Cambodia in successfully hosting the 20th Francophonie Summit in 2026.
