PHNOM PENH: The three ruling parties of the Southeast Asian peninsula met in Vietnam on September 6 to strengthen their solidarity and reaffirm their commitments to each other.

A press release from the Cambodian People’s Party said that the CPP, the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the Communist Party of Vietnam are committed to maintaining unity in order to maintain the common interests of the nation and the people. The leaders of the parties, Hun Sen of Cambodia, Thongloun Sisoulith of Laos and Nguyen Phu Trong of Vietnam, met in Hanoi the day after the three countries premiers met for breakfast at the ASEAN Summit in Jakarta.

In a press release issued on September 7, the Cambodian People's Party said, "This event is significant in strengthening and expanding the relationship between the parties and the people of the three countries, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, in the regional and global context which is undergoing complex changes as the three parties and the three countries enter a new phase."

During the meeting, the leaders of the three parties mentioned the history and solidarity between the three countries and pledged to maintain this unity.

"In the current situation, the parties and the people of the three countries must strengthen solidarity, close cooperation and mutual support, and consider the relationship between the three parties as a basis for orienting closer relations between the two countries," the statement said. “The three pillars are to strengthen defense and security, strengthen cooperation in foreign affairs, by further promoting economy, culture, education, science, technology, tourism and agriculture, and by promoting cooperation between party, state, national and regional institutions of the three countries based on the potential and strength of each country."