Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son paid an official visit to Cambodia on November 27–28 to co-chair the 13th Conference on Cooperation and Development of Vietnam–Cambodia Border Provinces, alongside Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Sar Sokha.

At the meeting, both sides engaged in frank dialogue and reaffirmed their shared commitment to preserving and promoting the relationship and cooperation between border provinces, guided by the principle of “good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, and long-term sustainability.”

They reiterated their joint efforts to maintain a peaceful, friendly, cooperative, and sustainably developing border.

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Vietnamese and Cambodian deputy prime ministers co-chair the conference. Source: Government Portal

Economic, trade, and investment cooperation, especially in border areas, has seen positive growth. Two-way trade has averaged USD 10 billion annually over the past four years and reached USD 9.5 billion in the first 10 months of 2025 - an increase of over 13.5% compared to the same period in 2024.

Collaboration in education, healthcare, labor, transport, and livelihood support for border communities has also advanced, delivering tangible benefits to local populations.

The rollout of cross-border QR code payments in local currencies has facilitated transactions, boosting commerce, consumption, and tourism.

Numerous conferences, forums, trade fairs, and promotional events have been jointly organized, enabling localities and businesses from both countries to meet, showcase products, and seek partnerships.

The two sides acknowledged the strong coordination between local governments and border enforcement units in ensuring security, public order, and stability, while also supporting socio-economic development along the frontier.

The conference emphasized the need to strengthen cooperation between border provinces in key areas including national defense, security, public order, cross-border trade, investment, customs and border gate management, cross-border transport, infrastructure development, connectivity, and especially border demarcation and marker placement.

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Delegates from ministries, agencies, and localities of both countries attend the conference. Source: Government Portal

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Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son meets President of the Cambodian People's Party and Senate President Hun Sen. Source: Government Portal

It was agreed that local authorities from border provinces should meet at least once a year to review progress and discuss results of bilateral cooperation.

During his visit, Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son paid a courtesy call on Hun Sen, President of the Cambodian People's Party and President of the Senate.

Hun Sen expressed satisfaction with the comprehensive and positive developments in Vietnam–Cambodia relations and emphasized the importance of inter-party cooperation, as well as trilateral ties among Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.

He called for expanded cooperation in politics, security, defense, trade, investment, education, training, culture, science and technology, people-to-people exchange, and border provincial collaboration.

Deputy PM Bui Thanh Son affirmed that the Vietnamese government would continue to instruct relevant ministries, sectors, and localities to effectively implement bilateral agreements - particularly those reached during the border provinces cooperation conference.

In his meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Deputy PM Bui Thanh Son stressed that under the guidance of both nations' leaders, Vietnam–Cambodia ties have continued to deepen, bringing practical benefits to both peoples.

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Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son meets Prime Minister Hun Manet. Source: Government Portal

He reaffirmed Vietnam’s willingness to closely cooperate in support of Cambodia’s hosting of the 20th Francophonie Summit.

Prime Minister Hun Manet proposed enhancing connectivity via road, waterway, and air routes, while boosting cross-border cooperation, especially in culture, education, security, defense, and crime prevention.

He also stressed the need to accelerate negotiations on border demarcation and marker placement. The Cambodian government, he noted, pays attention to the Vietnamese community in Cambodia and supports Vietnamese enterprises investing and doing business in the country.

Deputy PM Bui Thanh Son urged Cambodia to continue working with Vietnam to achieve breakthroughs in economic cooperation, particularly infrastructure and logistics development - citing the example of the proposed expressway connecting Ho Chi Minh City, Moc Bai, Bavet, and Phnom Penh.

He called for further development of border gates and trade infrastructure, and enhanced cooperation in defense and security - especially in combating cybercrime, human trafficking, and other transnational crimes.

The two nations should continue seeking effective solutions for unresolved border demarcation areas and soon finalize agreements on land border gates and cross-border travel regulations.

Deputy PM Bui Thanh Son also requested that Cambodia continue facilitating the granting of citizenship to eligible ethnic Vietnamese and support access for their children to public schools.

Tran Thuong