Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc holds talks via videoconference with his counterparts from Cambodia, Samdech Techo Hun Sen, and Laos, Thongloun Sisoulith on March 10 (Photo: VNA) The talks were held following an initiative of PM HunSen aimed at maintaining and reinforcing the traditional friendship between thethree neighbouring countries and between senior leaders in particular.
The PMs underlined that the special friendship andsolidarity is a valuable treasure and motivated the three to work together duringpast national struggles for independence and in the ongoing cause of national constructionand development.
They shared a belief that the younger generations willcontinue to nurture and promote this fine tradition.
PM Phuc congratulated Laos and Cambodia on theirachievements in COVID-19 prevention and control, and thanked leaders of the twocountries for their congratulations to Vietnam on the success of the 13th National Party Congress. He also congratulated Laos on the success of the 11th National Congress of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and the recentgeneral elections.
He underlined that thanks to its determination inimplementing the “twin targets” of pandemic control and economic development,Vietnam maintained macro-economic stability and recorded growth of nearly 3percent in 2020, while basically controlling the third outbreak of COVID-19.The country is striving to successfully implement the socio-economic plan forthe next 10 years and a vision to 2045.
Meanwhile, the Lao and Cambodian PMs lauded Vietnam’s socio-economicand pandemic control achievements, while briefing each other on their currentsituation and future development orientations.
Regarding the relationship between the threecountries, the PMs expressed their pleasure at cooperation in politics,security, defence, border management, economy, trade, investment, and educationand training.
They underscored the significance of strengthening theeducation of the younger generations in the three countries on the traditionalfriendship.
They reached consensus on continuing to maintain andpromote the efficiency of cooperation mechanisms, while bolstering partnershipsand exchanges between 13 border localities and improving coordination inprotecting shared border security and combating trans-border crime.
It is necessary to speed up the implementation of theplan to connect the three economies of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam (CLV) until 2030,with a focus on optimising resources from developed countries to build an expresswaynetwork linking Hanoi and Vientiane, railway lines linking Vientiane and VungAng and also Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh, along with border markets and goodsdistribution and transit centres, they agreed.
The three PMs also agreed to accelerate cooperation andmutual support in controlling COVID-19 as well as in continuing to create favourableconditions for customs clearances for people and goods passing over borders andfor investment cooperation activities.
They agreed to work closely in increasing access tovaccines for developing countries, while effectively conducting initiativesapproved within the ASEAN 2020 framework, including the ASEAN Regional Reserveof Medical Supplies and the ASEAN Travel Corridor Arrangement (TCA).
The three leaders highly valued the fruitfulcooperation between the three countries at sub-regional, regional, andinternational forums, and affirmed their commitments to working with other ASEANcountries in speeding up the building of the ASEAN Community, coordinating ASEANsub-regional cooperation, and associating Mekong cooperation with ASEANcooperation strategies and plans.
Laos and Cambodia congratulated Vietnam onsuccessfully performing the roles of ASEAN Chair in 2020 and non-permanent memberof the UN Security Council in the 2020-2021 tenure.
Vietnam affirmed that it will support Cambodia in organisingthe 7th Summit of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), which is slated for thismonth, while completing the role of host of the 13th Asia-EuropeMeeting (ASEM) Summit later this year and assisting Laos in fulfilling its tasks as the host of theChair of the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS)in the 2021-2022 tenure.
Regarding regional issues of shared concern, theleaders expressed their hope that the Myanmar situation will stabilise shortly withthe peaceful settlement of disputes, for the benefit of Myanmar and for a peacefuland stable regional environment. They agreed to continue supporting the centralrole and efforts of ASEAN.
The three leaders stressed the need for maintaining peace andstability in the East Sea, and agreed to coordinate in building a Code ofConduct in the East Sea (COC) that is practical, effective, and suitable with internationallaw.
They also agreed to continue to strengthen cooperationin managing and using the Mekong River’s water resources, while coordinating insettling issues related to the development of hydropower projects in themainstream and strengthening cooperation in developing green and renewableenergy.
Concluding the talks, which took place in a sincere,open, and practical atmosphere, the three PMs agreed to assign their respectiveministries, sectors, and localities to implement the agreements reached duringthe talks, thus accelerating their friendship and enhancing the efficiency ofcooperation between Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia./.
VNA
