The assessment was made during General Giang’s reception on June 9 at the Ministry of National Defense headquarters for visiting General Prak Sovanna, Secretary of State at the Ministry of National Defense of Cambodia, who is accompanying Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet on his official visit to Vietnam and attendance at the third ASEAN Future Forum.
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General Phan Van Giang (left) receives General Prak Sovanna. |
At the meeting, the Vietnamese defense chief affirmed that Vietnam always attaches great importance and gives top priority to continuously strengthening and developing the good neighborliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, and long-term sustainability with Cambodia.
Regarding bilateral defense ties, he spoke highly of positive results in all-level delegation exchanges, effective maintenance of dialogue and consultation mechanisms, training cooperation, border management and protection, friendship exchanges and twinning activities, education and information dissemination about bilateral relations, search and repatriation of martyrs’ remains, and coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums.
He also noted the successful organization of the second Vietnam - Cambodia Border Defense Friendship Exchange in November 2025, helping promote substantive and effective cooperation between the two militaries, local authorities, and people in border areas, contributing to building a shared border of peace, friendship, stability, cooperation, and development.
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An overview of the reception |
Based on the signed documents and agreements, General Giang suggested both sides maintain effective exchanges of delegations and existing cooperation mechanisms, including the annual meeting of the Defense Ministers of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, the joint search and rescue exercise among the three militaries, and the Deputy Minister-level Defense Policy Dialogue.
He proposed greater attention to cooperation in personnel training, border management and protection, search, collection, and repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and advisors who sacrificed their lives in Cambodia during different periods of war.
General Prak Sovanna conveyed congratulations from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense of Cambodia General Tea Seiha to General Phan Van Giang on his appointment as Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam. He also congratulated Vietnam on the successful organization of the third ASEAN Future Forum.
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General Prak Sovanna presents a commemorative gift to General Phan Van Giang. |
The Cambodian general affirmed that cooperation between the two countries has achieved significant accomplishments and bilateral defense ties have become increasingly substantive and practical, notably in border protection coordination and the promotion of cooperation under the protocol for the 2025-2029 period.
General Prak Sovanna expressed gratitude to the Party, State, and military of Vietnam for their longstanding support and assistance to Cambodia, both in the past and at present. He also thanked Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defense for providing scholarships for officers of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces.
He stressed that Cambodia stands ready to coordinate with Vietnam in the search, collection, and repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and advisors.
Translated by Mai Huong