Young officers from Việt Nam and Cambodia planted a tree of friendship in Mộc Bài International Border Gate in the southern province of Tây Ninh of Việt Nam as part of the 2nd friendship exchange on November 11. — VNA/VNS Photo

 TÂY NINH — Young officers from Việt Nam and Cambodia on Tuesday participated in various joint activities at the Mộc Bài International Border Gate in the southern province of Tây Ninh of Việt Nam, as part of the second Việt Nam–Cambodia Border Defence Friendship Exchange.

The activities included welcoming the Cambodian delegation, planting a youth friendship garden, and conducting legal dissemination sessions for officials and residents in the border areas of both countries.

The programme aimed to deepen friendship, solidarity and mutual understanding among young officers of the two nations, while highlighting their role in public outreach and contributing to building a border of peace, cooperation and development.

The Vietnamese delegation was led by Colonel Nguyễn Quốc Hiếu, Deputy Political Commissar at the Border Guard Command, while the Cambodian side was headed by Lieut. Gen. Tien Sophonrnvong, Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of the Cambodian Border Protection Department under the Ministry of National Defence of Cambodia.

Following a welcoming ceremony at the Mộc Bài International Border Gate, officers and young officers from both sides planted friendship trees at the Mộc Bài Border Guard Station, symbolising environmental protection and closer ties between the two forces.

At Long Thuận Commune’s Cultural House, young officers jointly organised a session to disseminate laws and raise public awareness about compliance with the Việt Nam–Cambodia Border Regulations Agreement.

Cambodian soldiers gave out pamphlets on legal knowledge for residents in the Việt Nam–Cambodia border area. — VNA/VNS Photo

Lieut. Gen. Tien Sophonrnvong emphasised that the exchange was a meaningful activity that strengthens the long-standing solidarity between the border protection forces of the two nations. Through joint activities and professional exchanges, young officers gain deeper mutual understanding and experience in border management, contributing to security and stability along the shared boundary.

Lieutenant Ngô Lê Phúc Đạt from the Tây Ninh Border Guard Command said the 1983 Border Regulations Agreement between Việt Nam and Cambodia clearly defines rules for residence, trade and cross-border movement to meet the daily needs of border residents. He noted that public education on the agreement helps prevent illegal crossings, transnational crimes and misinformation about labour issues, thereby safeguarding the reputation of both countries’ border forces.

Lieutenant Colonel Duong Ratana, Commander of Battalion 335 under the provincial Military Command of Cambodia's Kampot Province, highlighted that cooperation between young officers of both sides has helped maintain border security, facilitate cross-border trade, and strengthen friendship between local authorities, residents and security forces.

The same day, the two delegations held various cultural and sports exchanges to tighten the bonds of friendship between the two nations. — VNA/VNS