Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc holds talks via videoconference with his counterparts from Cambodia, Samdech Techo Hun Sen, and Laos, Thongloun Sisoulith on March 10 (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan
Phuc on March 10 held talks via videoconference with his counterparts from Cambodia, Samdech
Techo Hun Sen, and Laos, Thongloun Sisoulith.
The talks were held following an initiative of PM Hun
Sen aimed at maintaining and reinforcing the traditional friendship between the
three neighbouring countries and between senior leaders in particular.
The PMs underlined that the special friendship and
solidarity is a valuable treasure and motivated the three to work together during
past national struggles for independence and in the ongoing cause of national construction
and development.
They shared a belief that the younger generations will
continue to nurture and promote this fine tradition.
PM Phuc congratulated Laos and Cambodia on their
achievements in COVID-19 prevention and control, and thanked leaders of the two
countries for their congratulations to Vietnam on the success of the 13th National Party Congress. He also congratulated Laos on the success of the 11th National Congress of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and the recent
general elections.
He underlined that thanks to its determination in
implementing the “twin targets” of pandemic control and economic development,
Vietnam maintained macro-economic stability and recorded growth of nearly 3
percent in 2020, while basically controlling the third outbreak of COVID-19.
The country is striving to successfully implement the socio-economic plan for
the next 10 years and a vision to 2045.
Meanwhile, the Lao and Cambodian PMs lauded Vietnam’s socio-economic
and pandemic control achievements, while briefing each other on their current
situation and future development orientations.
Regarding the relationship between the three
countries, the PMs expressed their pleasure at cooperation in politics,
security, defence, border management, economy, trade, investment, and education
and training.
They underscored the significance of strengthening the
education of the younger generations in the three countries on the traditional
friendship.
They reached consensus on continuing to maintain and
promote the efficiency of cooperation mechanisms, while bolstering partnerships
and exchanges between 13 border localities and improving coordination in
protecting shared border security and combating trans-border crime.
It is necessary to speed up the implementation of the
plan to connect the three economies of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam (CLV) until 2030,
with a focus on optimising resources from developed countries to build an expressway
network linking Hanoi and Vientiane, railway lines linking Vientiane and Vung
Ang and also Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh, along with border markets and goods
distribution and transit centres, they agreed.
The three PMs also agreed to accelerate cooperation and
mutual support in controlling COVID-19 as well as in continuing to create favourable
conditions for customs clearances for people and goods passing over borders and
for investment cooperation activities.
They agreed to work closely in increasing access to
vaccines for developing countries, while effectively conducting initiatives
approved within the ASEAN 2020 framework, including the ASEAN Regional Reserve
of Medical Supplies and the ASEAN Travel Corridor Arrangement (TCA).
The three leaders highly valued the fruitful
cooperation between the three countries at sub-regional, regional, and
international forums, and affirmed their commitments to working with other ASEAN
countries in speeding up the building of the ASEAN Community, coordinating ASEAN
sub-regional cooperation, and associating Mekong cooperation with ASEAN
cooperation strategies and plans.
Laos and Cambodia congratulated Vietnam on
successfully performing the roles of ASEAN Chair in 2020 and non-permanent member
of the UN Security Council in the 2020-2021 tenure.
Vietnam affirmed that it will support Cambodia in organising
the 7th Summit of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), which is slated for this
month, while completing the role of host of the 13th Asia-Europe
Meeting (ASEM) Summit later this year and assisting Laos in fulfilling its tasks as the host of the
Chair of the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS)
in the 2021-2022 tenure.
Regarding regional issues of shared concern, the
leaders expressed their hope that the Myanmar situation will stabilise shortly with
the peaceful settlement of disputes, for the benefit of Myanmar and for a peaceful
and stable regional environment. They agreed to continue supporting the central
role and efforts of ASEAN.
The three leaders stressed the need for maintaining peace and
stability in the East Sea, and agreed to coordinate in building a Code of
Conduct in the East Sea (COC) that is practical, effective, and suitable with international
law.
They also agreed to continue to strengthen cooperation
in managing and using the Mekong River’s water resources, while coordinating in
settling issues related to the development of hydropower projects in the
mainstream and strengthening cooperation in developing green and renewable
energy.
Concluding the talks, which took place in a sincere,
open, and practical atmosphere, the three PMs agreed to assign their respective
ministries, sectors, and localities to implement the agreements reached during
the talks, thus accelerating their friendship and enhancing the efficiency of
cooperation between Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia./.