(Phnom Penh): The leaders of Cambodia, Viet Nam, and Laos reaffirmed that strong relations and effective trilateral cooperation are vital for promoting development and safeguarding peace and stability in the region, underscoring the need to continue prioritizing close collaboration.

The commitment was made during a Trilateral Prime Minister’s Meeting between Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, on 6 February 2026 at the Peace Palace. The meeting was held on the occasion of the Vietnamese and Lao prime ministers’ participation in the leadership meeting of the Cambodian People’s Party, the Communist Party of Viet Nam, and the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party in Phnom Penh from 6–7 February 2026.

During the discussions, Prime Minister Hun Manet highly valued exchanges at all levels and the positive outcomes of cooperation among the three countries. He noted steady progress in economic and trade relations and proposed initiatives to further enhance trade, with targets of reaching USD 700 million in bilateral trade with Laos by 2030 and USD 20 billion in trade with Viet Nam in the future.

At the same time, Samdech Thipadei also encouraged greater people-to-people exchanges and expanded connectivity in areas such as infrastructure, transport, culture, tourism, and electricity. He urged technical teams to accelerate the identification of connection points between the Phnom Penh–Bavet expressway and the Ho Chi Minh City–Moc Bai expressway.

The three leaders underscored that close relations and cooperation among Cambodia, Viet Nam, and Laos are essential for development and regional stability. They agreed to strengthen collaboration in politics and diplomacy, enhance information sharing through foreign affairs mechanisms, provide mutual support within regional and international frameworks, and promote connectivity among future generations of leaders.

The meeting further advanced cooperation in national defense and security, particularly in combating cross-border crimes, technology-enabled fraud, and other non-traditional security challenges.

In the fields of trade and investment, Viet Nam expressed readiness to continue promoting increased investment in Cambodia. The three leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing connectivity in physical infrastructure, transport, electricity, education, and training, contributing to economic development and promoting tourism under the concept of “Three Countries, One Destination.”
=FRESH NEWS