PHNOM PENH: On the morning of 17 April 2023, the Commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), Gen. Hun Manet, held an annual meeting with the Commander of the Border Guard High Command under the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence, Lt. Gen. Le Duc Thai, to review their partnership in 2022 and to set the course for 2023.

During the meeting, the two sides expressed their pride in the steady development of cooperation between the RCAF and the Vietnamese Border Guard Command, which has produced many achievements since 2004.

They highlighted the success of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two units on 3 February 2021, which has served to strengthen their ties in ensuring security, peace, friendship, stability, cooperation and development.

The two generals renewed their commitment in today’s meeting by signing Terms of Cooperation, which aim to promote professional ties between the Cambodian and Vietnamese Ministries of Defence. Both sides agreed to continue joint efforts in accordance with the content of the 2019 Joint Statement between the two countries, the Protocol on Bilateral Defence Cooperation 2020-2024 and the Cooperation Plan.

The officers were pleased with the results of their 2022 partnership in which they actively cooperated to prevent cross-border crime through patrol work and exchanging information in discussions and meetings. Additional training of human resources allowed them to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and tackle other difficulties presented along their border.

The bilateral effort has resulted in stronger ties between the two countries in line with the motto, "good neighborliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation and long-term stability," by bringing peace, stability, public order and security along the border.

They also focused on making the MoU on Land Border Cooperation more effective and efficient, aiming to bring more active development of relations between the two countries' border guards to maintain the border’s peace and common development. They will prioritize continuing cooperation and preventing the spread of Covid-19. The countries also vowed to focus on: border demarcation in accordance with a bilaterally approved plan, fighting transnational crime, training support, and participating in joint exercises to prepare for disaster relief.