The event was chaired by Vietnamese Deputy Defense Minister Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien and attended by Deputy Director General of the General Department of Policy and Foreign Affairs and Director of the International Cooperation Department of the Cambodian Ministry of National Defense General Phat Vibolsopheak.
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Sr. Lt. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien speaks at the conference. |
At the meeting, agencies and units under the Vietnamese MND and Military Region 7 reported on their preparation work for the second Vietnam–Cambodia Border Defense Friendship Exchange. The Cambodian delegation expressed support and agreed with the main contents of the exchange program.
As planned, the upcoming program will feature official welcoming and farewell ceremonies for high-level delegations; a friendship tree planting ceremony; a joint military medical drill; the inauguration of a primary school in Ben Cau commune; a twinning ceremony between border residential clusters; a young border guard officers exchange; and a formal banquet.
In Cambodia, activities will include a ground-breaking ceremony for the Sang Sovanna Primary School in Svay Teap district, Svay Rieng province; and a visit to a unit of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces. At Vietnam's Moc Bai International Border Gate and Cambodia's Ba Vet International Border Gate, there will be a border marker saluting and repainting ceremony at Marker 171 area and a joint border patrol.
The two sides will also hold bilateral talks and are expected to sign several cooperation documents as part of the exchange.
Addressing the event, General Chien emphasized that the Vietnam–Cambodia Border Defense Friendship Exchange is a highly significant political and defense diplomacy event. It goes beyond the scope of military or defense cooperation, representing the Vietnamese Party and State’s foreign policy stance toward Cambodia, a neighboring country with a long-standing traditional bond. The exchange is expected to create new momentum to promote socio-economic development, strengthen national defense and security, and build a border of peace, friendship, cooperation, and mutual development, thereby enhancing people-to-people ties between the two countries.
Acknowledging the pro-active and dedicated efforts of the agencies and units involved in the preparation, the Vietnamese deputy defense minister stressed the need to promptly implement the remaining tasks to ensure the program’s success.
The defense leader instructed relevant agencies and units to adjust specific contents of the program as needed and to quickly finalize both the general and detailed scenarios of all activities. He also called for strengthened communication about the program’s significance, and careful, effective, and safe preparations for all activities.
Sr. Lt. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien requested the leadership of Tay Ninh province to coordinate forces to embellish Moc Bai International Border Gate area and to mobilize local communities to participate in the exchange and twinning activities within the program. He also called on the Cambodian side to closely coordinate with Vietnamese agencies, units, and localities in expediting preparations for the exchange.
Translated by Tran Hoai