Phnom Penh: Samdech Techo Hun Sen, former Prime Minister of Cambodia and President of the Cambodian Senate, has reaffirmed that Cambodia has not allocated any land in the provinces of Stung Treng, Kratie, Mondulkiri, and Ratanakkiri for joint development with Vietnam and Laos. He emphasized that the cooperation between the three countries should be clearly understood as collaborative, not as joint development.

These statements were made during an address by Samdech Techo Hun Sen on the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Cooperation, delivered on the afternoon of August 12, 2024.

"We have not committed any part of our land in these provinces to joint development. No nation does that. What we are engaging in is cooperation, not ceding our land. We develop our territory with our resources and through foreign aid and loans. Likewise, Vietnam and Laos develop their own lands with their funds and external assistance. There is no shared development territory here," Samdech Techo Hun Sen clarified.

He further explained that each country upholds its own laws, and citizens of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam must respect these laws when crossing borders. However, within the framework of this cooperation, tourism exchanges are encouraged, with clear procedures and agreements in place to facilitate mutual visits.

Addressing concerns over the notion of joint development, Samdech Techo Hun Sen stated, "There have been calls to withdraw these four provinces from what some mistakenly refer to as 'Joint Development Cooperation.' Let me be clear—there is no joint development, only cooperation. Should we, instead, be hostile with our neighbors? Or should we cultivate good relations and work towards completing our border demarcation? Our priority must be to develop our own territory so that our citizens can protect their land and property along the border."

Regarding suggestions to construct border fences, Samdech Techo Hun Sen argued that the funds would be better spent on infrastructure, such as roads, housing, schools, and hospitals for the communities along the border. He also highlighted the importance of increasing production to boost exports to Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand as a more effective strategy for national development.