Vietnam, Cambodia beef up defence cooperation

Vietnam and Cambodia have agreed to intensify defence cooperation in 2021, with the focus on stepping up border checks and patrols to prevent illegal entry and exit so as to contribute to each country’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The agreement was reached by Vietnamese Defence Minister Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich and Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Tea Banh during their online talks on January 8.

At the talks, both sides spoke highly of defence cooperation results in 2020. Despite impacts of the pandemic, almost all contents in the 2020 Cooperation Plan were implemented effectively, particularly cooperation in training, the COVID-19 combat, borderline protection, and the search and repatriation of remains of voluntary Vietnamese soldiers who died while doing duty in Cambodia during wartime.

Gen. Lich appreciated Cambodia’s support for activities chaired by the Vietnamese Defence Ministry during Vietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2020, especially the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and ADMM Plus and related meetings.

Gen. Tea Banh took the occasion to congratulate Vietnam on successfully assuming the role as the ASEAN Chair in 2020.

They agreed to continue carrying out contents of the Protocol for 2020-2024 period and the 2021 Cooperation Plan, with the priority given to stepping up disseminations on the bilateral traditional friendship, solidary and comprehensive cooperation; improving the efficiency of collaboration mechanisms, particularly the Defence Policy Dialogue.

The two countries will also speed up all-level delegation exchanges, intensify cooperation in personnel training and cooperation and coordination in preventing cross-border crimes and drug smuggling.

After the talks, the two Defence Ministers signed the Cooperation Plan for 2021.