General Phan Van Giang receives his Cambodian counterpart

(Bqp.vn) - On February 19, Defense Minister General Phan Van Giang chaired a welcoming ceremony for and held talks with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister General Tea Banh who was on an official visit to Vietnam.

General Phan Van Giang (L) welcoming General Tea Banh.

The two defense ministers inspecting the VPA’s Guards of Honor.

All delegates in a joint photo.

Deputy Defense Minister Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien and Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army Lieutenant General Nguyen Doan Anh also attended the event.

At the talks.

Addressing the talks which were held following the welcoming ceremony, General Phan Van Giang expressed his belief that General Tea Banh’s official visit to Vietnam will be successful and create a new impetus for the two countries’ friendship, including bilateral defense cooperation. General Phan Van Giang also believed in the success related to Cambodia’s hosting of the 32nd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) and the ASEAN Para Games in 2023.

General Phan Van Giang speaking at the talks.

The Cambodian official held that cooperation between the two militaries has continued to be enhanced and reaped fruitful results despite the complex COVID-19 pandemic. The two sides have shown their determination to help strengthen the Cambodia - Vietnam ties through promoting extensive partnerships and effectively implementing their annual cooperation plans.

General Tea Banh speaking at the talks.

Particularly in the “Vietnam - Cambodia and Cambodia - Vietnam Friendship Year 2022”, two defense ministries coordinated to successfully organize many major events such as the first Vietnam - Cambodia Border Defense Friendship Exchange in May 2022, the 45th anniversary of the historical journey by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen to overthrow the Pol Pot’s genocidal regime in June 2022, the annual meeting among the defense ministers of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, and the first joint search and rescue exercise among the three countries’ militaries in Laos in September 2022. Agencies and units of both sides have also maintained information sharing, safeguarded security and order along the land border and at sea, and fruitfully carried out the 2022 cooperation plan.

General Phan Van Giang and General Tea Banh signing the 2023 cooperation plan.

Agreeing on the defense cooperation plan for 2023, the two defense ministers agreed to effectively implement cooperation contents, including increasing information sharing and conducting joint patrols to maintain security and order on land and at sea; coordinating closely with each other to build a long-term communication plan to popularise the solidarity and mutual assistance between the two countries’ Governments, peoples, and militaries; working together to effectively implement cooperation activities related to Cambodia’s hosting of the 32nd SEA Games and the ASEAN Para Games; and continuing joint efforts to search for and repatriate remains of Vietnam’s volunteer soldiers and experts who died during wartime in Cambodia.

The two defense ministers witnessing the signing of the two defense ministries’ Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in military and defense law.

Concluding the talks, the two defense ministers inked the 2023 cooperation plan and witnessed the signing of the two defense ministries’ Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in military and defense law.