The solemn welcome ceremony was chaired by Vietnamese Defense Minister General Phan Van Giang. The Lao delegation was led by Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister General Chansamone Chanyalath, while the Cambodian delegation was headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister General Tea Seiha.
After the ceremony, Gen. Phan Van Giang, Gen. Chansamone Chanyalath, and Gen. Tea Seiha performed the ceremony of saluting and painting the sovereignty marker at the junction of the Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia borderline (Vietnam’s Kon Tum, Laos’ Attapeu, and Cambodia’s Ratanakiri provinces).
The construction of the border marker at the junction started on November 29, 2007 and was completed on January 18, 2008. The 2m-high, 900kg-heavy triangular prism-shaped border marker is located 1,086m above sea level, and on each side of the marker facing each country is attached the respective country’s national emblem.
After completing the border marker saluting and painting event, the heads of the three delegations together planted a friendship tree and witnessed the three countries’ forces patrolling and checking the border marker. These activities contributed to proving that the tri-border marker is the project of friendship among the three neighboring countries which are determined to build a borderline of peace, friendship, cooperation, and prosperous development.
The organization of the first Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia Border Defense Friendship Exchange aims to actualize the cooperation plan in 2023 between the Vietnamese Defense Ministry and the Lao and Cambodian counterparts. The event helps strengthen political trust, friendship and solidarity, and practical cooperation among border guard forces, local authorities, and people of the three countries, thus building a borderline of peace, friendship, stability, cooperation, and development and spreading the message of solidarity, friendship, and mutual support among three governments, militaries, and peoples.
Below are photos of activities at the first Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia Border Defense Friendship Exchange.
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Leaders of Kon Tum province welcome Gen. Phan Van Giang and the Vietnamese delegation. |
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The Vietnamese Defense Minister welcomes his Lao counterpart. |
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The Vietnamese Defense Minister welcomes the Cambodian counterpart. |
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Heads of the three delegations at the event |
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The three delegations heading to the tri-border marker at the junction of the Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia border |
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Gen. Giang paints the border marker. |
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Gen. Chansamone Chanyalath paints the border marker. |
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Gen. Tea Seiha paints the border marker. |
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The three defense ministers plant the friendship tree. |
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The three defense ministers water the friendship tree. |
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Defense ministers of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia in front of the friendship tree |
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The defense leaders of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia witness forces patrolling and checking the border marker. |
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Forces joining the patrol receiving gifts from the three defense ministers |
Translated by Tran Hoai