Strengthening comprehensive cooperation between Cambodia - Laos - Vietnam, consolidating substantive relations with Thailand

At the invitation of Chairman of the National Assembly of the Lao People's Democratic Republic Saysomphone Phomvihane and Chairman of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Thailand Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue attended the first Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam (CLV) Summit, visited and worked in the Lao People's Democratic Republic from December 4 to 7, 2023, and paid an official visit to the Kingdom of Thailand from December 7 to 10, 2023.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue attended the first Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Summit to strengthen and consolidate the friendship, close solidarity and comprehensive cooperation among the three countries, while promoting the exchange and sharing of information and legislative, supervisory and practical experience among the three parliaments. The visit aims to consolidate and expand the foundation of political relations, promote effective and substantive cooperation between Vietnam and Thailand in all fields and through all channels.

The special solidarity relationship between the three Parties, three States and people of the three countries has a special position and importance, and needs to be preserved and nurtured to develop further, contributing to bringing practical benefits to the people of each country.

Promote friendship and cooperation

The good neighborly relations, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, long-term sustainability between Vietnam and Cambodia and the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos are increasingly deepening, becoming more practical and effective. Cooperation between Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia continues to develop well, in which economic cooperation has achieved many results, contributing to promoting comprehensive cooperation among the three countries.

Continuously nurtured by generations of leaders and people, the friendship and solidarity between the three countries have become increasingly close and deeper. To celebrate important events in 2022, Vietnam has coordinated with Laos and Cambodia to successfully organize many activities in the Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year and the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Year in various forms. These commemorative activities help people of the three countries, especially the younger generation, to have a deeper understanding of the Vietnam-Laos and Vietnam-Cambodia relations.

On November 20, 2022, at the 43rd AIPA General Assembly, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, Chairman of the Cambodian National Assembly and Chairman of the Lao National Assembly signed a Joint Statement officially establishing the mechanism of the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam National Assembly Summit.

Over the years, the relationship between the three parties and three countries has continued to be strengthened in all fields. On the party channel, this relationship has continued to be strengthened through the successful organization of annual meetings between the Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the Politburo of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the Standing Committee of the Cambodian People's Party. Last September, the three leaders of the three parties held the Vietnam-Cambodia-Laos Summit to agree on major directions for cooperation between the three parties and three countries in all fields for the common interests of the people.

Under the biennial rotating meeting mechanism, the Prime Ministers of the three countries discussed measures to promote cooperation and development in the Development Triangle region and connect the three economies.

The three countries also continue to implement tripartite cooperation mechanisms of the government, parliament, ministries, sectors and organizations to promote cooperation, as well as establish a number of new cooperation mechanisms, including the Program for training and fostering young cadres of the three countries in Vietnam.

Enhance the role of the legislature

In the overall good relations on Party and State channels, the relationship between the Vietnamese National Assembly, the Lao National Assembly and the Cambodian National Assembly continues to develop, making important contributions to consolidating and promoting the friendship and cooperation between the three countries.

The tripartite committee-level cooperation mechanisms, including: Conference between the three Foreign Affairs Committees, Conference between the three Defense-Security Committees, Conference between the three Finance and Budget Committees, are held every two years on a rotating basis.

On the basis of the traditional friendship between Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia; in order to synchronize with the high-level cooperation mechanisms between the three countries to effectively implement the cooperation policies of the three countries agreed upon by the leaders of the three Parties, as well as to supervise and promote the implementation of the signed cooperation agreements between the three countries in general, in the Development Triangle area in particular, contributing to bringing the relationship between the three countries and the three National Assemblies into depth, practicality and effectiveness; with the consent of the Politburo, the Vietnamese National Assembly proactively proposed to the Lao National Assembly and the Cambodian National Assembly and received high consensus on upgrading the mechanism of the Committee-level Conference between the National Assemblies of the three countries to the Summit of the National Assemblies of the three countries.

Within the framework of the 43rd General Assembly of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (AIPA-43), the three National Assembly Chairmen of the three countries signed a Joint Statement officially establishing the mechanism of the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam National Assembly Summit. Accordingly, the Conference is held every two years and co-chaired by the three National Assembly Chairmen on a rotational basis in alphabetical order.

The National Assembly is the body representing the rights and interests of the people, so the content that this Summit will discuss is very important because the three National Assemblies will represent the people of the three countries to continue promoting the implementation of the agreements that the governments of the three countries have signed with each other, so as to bring about the highest efficiency. Vice President of the Lao National Assembly Sounthone Xayachak

The Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam National Assembly Summit is of great significance, as it is the implementation and concretization of the content of the meeting between the three Politburoes of the three parties. As a new tripartite cooperation mechanism, the Conference will create momentum to bring the relationship between the three countries in general, and the three parliaments in particular, to a deeper, more substantial and more effective level.

The first Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam National Assembly Summit took place in Laos with the theme “Enhancing the role of Parliament in promoting comprehensive cooperation between Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam”. The message of the Conference was “ Peace, friendship, solidarity and cooperation for prosperity and sustainable development”.

The conference had sessions with the theme of foreign affairs being “ Strengthening the role of the Parliaments of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam in promoting cooperation, partnership, solidarity and prosperity”; on economics, culture and society being “ Strengthening parliamentary cooperation in promoting connectivity between the three economies of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam towards the goal of sustainable and inclusive development”; on national defense and security being “ Strengthening the supervisory role of the Parliaments of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam in national defense and security work to ensure peace and stability”.

During his working trip, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue will visit and work in Laos to further strengthen the special solidarity and effective comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

Vietnam and Thailand established diplomatic relations in 1976. The two countries upgraded their relationship to a Strategic Partnership in 2013. On that basis, the relationship between the two countries has developed well in all fields. Upgraded to an Enhanced Strategic Partnership in 2015, the Vietnam-Thailand relationship has been further consolidated and developed.

Over the past years, the friendship and cooperation between the two countries have continued to develop well. The two sides are actively promoting the Action Program to implement the Enhanced Strategic Partnership for the period 2022-2027.

On August 7, 2023, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue met with Speaker of the Thai House of Representatives Wanmuhamadnoor Matha on the occasion of attending the 44th AIPA General Assembly. Photo: quochoi.vn

Political, defense and security relations continue to be strengthened. High-level and all-level contacts, as well as bilateral cooperation mechanisms such as the Joint Trade Committee, Defense Policy Dialogue, Political Consultations, etc., have been effectively maintained, contributing to strengthening political trust and enhancing effective cooperation between the two countries.

Economic cooperation continues to develop positively and is a bright spot in bilateral relations. Thailand is Vietnam's largest trading partner in ASEAN with two-way trade reaching nearly 21.6 billion USD in 2022, up 15.2% compared to 2021. By the end of September 2023, the total two-way trade turnover reached 14.1 billion USD. Thailand ranks 9th among countries investing in Vietnam with 715 valid projects and a total registered capital of more than 13.7 billion USD.

The two countries are actively implementing the "Three Connections" strategy, including: connecting supply chains; connecting businesses and localities of the two countries; and connecting sustainable growth strategies.

On August 6, 2023, Secretary General of the National Assembly and Head of the Office of the National Assembly Bui Van Cuong met with the Secretary General of the House of Representatives of the Kingdom of Thailand. Photo: daibieunhandan.vn

Besides, cooperation in the fields of culture, tourism, education, people-to-people exchange, etc. is also focused on promoting.

Regarding multilateral cooperation , the two countries continue to closely coordinate their positions at regional and international forums, especially at the United Nations, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC), and the Mekong sub-regional mechanisms.

The relationship between the two legislative bodies has been continuously promoted and developed well in recent times. The two sides have maintained many exchanges of delegations at the leadership level, committees and parliamentarians, contributing positively to the friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Thailand.

On December 19, 2022, Member of the Party Central Committee, Chairman of the Law Committee Hoang Thanh Tung received the delegation of the Standing Committee on Administration of the Thai House of Representatives. Photo: daibieunhandan.vn

The two sides maintain contacts at all levels, especially on the sidelines of multilateral parliamentary conferences. Last August, on the occasion of attending the 44th AIPA General Assembly in Jakarta, Indonesia, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue met with Speaker of the Thai House of Representatives Wan Mahamad Noor Matha to discuss bilateral cooperation.

The first official visit to Thailand by Comrade Vuong Dinh Hue as Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly is the first visit to Thailand by a senior Vietnamese leader after Thailand formed a new government. The visit is of great significance in the context that the two countries are actively implementing practical activities to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Strategic Partnership.

The visit of National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue aims to demonstrate the importance of the Vietnam-Thailand Enhanced Strategic Partnership. Through activities during the visit, the two sides will discuss directions and measures to promote relations between the two countries in general and between the two legislative bodies in particular, within the bilateral and multilateral frameworks. In addition, this is also an opportunity for the two sides to discuss international and regional issues of mutual concern.

On December 19, 2022, Member of the Party Central Committee, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Khac Dinh received a delegation from the Standing Committee on Administration of the House of Representatives of the Kingdom of Thailand. Photo: daibieunhandan.vn

On June 12, 2023, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son received Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand Sarun Charoensuwan. https://baoquocte.vn

On June 13, 2023, the 9th session of the Vietnam-Thailand Political Consultation took place. Photo: dangcongsan.vn

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue attended the first Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Summit to implement the Party's foreign policy and guidelines in promoting cooperation with Laos and Cambodia on the parliamentary cooperation channel and the Politburo's Conclusion on strategic orientations for Mekong sub-regional cooperation until 2030, in order to meet both domestic and foreign requirements in the new development period. The working trip also aimed to enhance trust with partner countries, including Thailand; and build and consolidate personal relations between senior leaders of the two sides.

Implementing organization: CHU HONG THANG - PHAM TRUONG SON Content: NINH SON - VI AN Source: MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, VNA Presented by: NGO HUONG

Nhandan.vn

source