Vietnamese Minister of Public Security Gen. To Lam (R) and Cambodian Deputy PM and Minister of Interior Samdech Krolahom Sar Kheng sign the two ministries' 2023 cooperation plan on March 4. Photo: VNA

The Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security and the Cambodian Ministry of Interior reviewed the results of their 2022 cooperation plan and signed a new one for this year at a conference in Hanoi on March 4, VNA reported.

Vietnamese Minister of Public Security Gen. To Lam and Cambodian Deputy PM and Minister of Interior Samdech Krolahom Sar Kheng co-chaired the event.

Looking back on cooperation results last year, the officials said the two sides maintained sharing information about the international and regional situations related to their countries’ national security and social order and safety, supported each other at international and regional forums, and coordinated to guarantee security and safety for important political events in each country, including the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits and related summits in Cambodia.

Vietnam also actively put forth coordination programs and plans to crack down on crimes, especially in the two countries’ border provinces.

In 2022, despite certain difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the two ministries’ police forces boosted cooperation in crime prevention and control such as exchanging information and verifying requests related to criminals on international wanted lists via INTERPOL, ASEANAPOL, the diplomatic channel, specialized departments, and the police forces in border provinces, thereby obtaining some significant results in the crime fight.

Wrapping up the conference, the Vietnamese and Cambodian officials signed the cooperation plan for 2023 between their ministries.

President Vo Van Thuong (R) welcomes Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Samdech Krolahom Sar Kheng on March 4. Photo: VNA

The same day, State President Vo Van Thuong received the visiting Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.

As Cambodia will hold a number of major events in 2023, including the seventh-tenure parliament election, the 32nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, and the ASEAN Para Games, the Deputy PM called on Vietnam to share experience and support his country to successfully host these events.

The visiting official also asked Vietnam to coordinate with Cambodia to hold the conference of border provinces and open two new border gates on the shared borderline, thus promoting the building of a border of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development.

Stressing the importance of the Vietnam - Cambodia relations, President Thuong expressed his delight at the fruitful cooperation in all spheres, spoke highly of the effective partnership between the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security and the Cambodian Ministry of Interior, and appreciated Deputy PM Sar Kheng’s substantial contributions to the settlement of difficulties facing Cambodians of Vietnamese origin.

He agreed with the Cambodian Deputy PM on the promotion of cooperation in border areas so as to step up the building of a border of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development.

Vietnam is ready to share experience to help Cambodia hold important events in 2023, including the seventh-tenure parliament election, the 32nd SEA Games, and the ASEAN Para Games, he went on.

The host leader also asked the Deputy PM to convey his invitation to King Norodom Sihamoni to pay a visit to Vietnam in the near future.

PM Pham Minh Chinh (R) receives Cambodian Deputy PM and Minister of Interior Sar Kheng in Hanoi on March 4. Photo: VNA

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also hosted a reception in Hanoi on March 4 for Sar Kheng, asking the Cambodian Ministry of Interior and the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security to continue strengthening the fight against all kinds of crimes, especially transnational ones; and coordinating in rescuing and repatriating Vietnamese citizens being detained and forced to work in illegal gambling facilities in Cambodia.

Thanking the Deputy PM and other leaders of Cambodia for paying attention to the Vietnamese community living in the country, Chinh proposed that they continue directing authorized offices to carry out appropriate measures to help Vietnamese people deal with difficulties in applying for citizenship, and in resettlement affairs.

The two sides showed their delight at the growing economic cooperation, with two-way trade hitting USD 10.6 billion last year, up 11% year-on-year. To date, Vietnam has had 205 valid investment projects in Cambodia with a total registered capital of USD 2.94 billion, ranking first in ASEAN and among the five largest foreign investors in Cambodia.

Agreeing that there remains ample room for economic collaboration, the leaders proposed the two countries strengthen infrastructure connectivity and work together to build an independent, self-reliant, and integrated economy. In the immediate future, the two countries should make good preparations for a conference of their border provinces; and inaugurate two new border gates, in order to build a borderline of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development.

The two sides also agreed to support each other at multilateral forums; back ASEAN's principled stance on the Bien Dong Sea; uphold international law; fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), build a substantive, valid and effective Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) in accordance with international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

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