General Phan Văn Giang, Việt Nam’s Minister of National Defence (left), and General Tea Seiha, Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, at the Marker 171. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Phú

TÂY NINH — At the second Việt Nam–Cambodia Border Defence Friendship Exchange, General Phan Văn Giang, Việt Nam’s Minister of National Defence, and General Tea Seiha, Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, jointly repainted Marker 171 at the Mộc Bài International Border Gate.

This activity underscored the two sides' shared determination to preserve a border line of peace, friendship, stability, and sustainable development.

Held on two days, Thursday and Friday, in Tây Ninh Province (Việt Nam) and Svay Rieng Province (Cambodia), the border defence exchange, featuring a range of practical activities, was considered a key defence diplomacy event this year.

The event strengthened traditional solidarity and promoted effective cooperation among border management forces, local authorities, and border communities of both countries. It contributed to building a Việt Nam–Cambodia border line of peace, friendship, stability, cooperation, and development, reinforcing political trust and directly promoting the friendship and solidarity between the two nations. It also served to showcase Việt Nam as a peace-loving, friendly country to neighbouring states and the international community.

General Giang highlighted that the exchange continues to be an effective cooperation model, reflecting the political determination of both countries to strengthen solidarity, promote practical collaboration, and jointly build a peaceful, friendly, cooperative, and developing border, for the prosperity of the two nations and for regional and global peace, stability, cooperation, and development.

A key highlight of the programme was a ceremony marking the twinning ties between Long Cường Hamlet, Long Thuận Commune, Tây Ninh Province of Việt Nam, and Otamo Hamlet, Monorum Commune, Svay Teap District, Svay Rieng Province of Cambodia. Through this initiative, border residents commit to strictly abiding by national laws and bilateral border agreements, while actively cooperating with authorities to protect the border and markers.

During the exchange, young officers of the two countries’ border forces shared experience and insights on the development of bilateral military cooperation, while affirming their proactive role in building a border line of peace, friendship, stability, and mutual development.

Gen. Phan Văn Giang and Gen. Tea Seiha attend the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of Sang Sovan Primary School. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Phú

Local authorities and security forces also carried out campaigns to disseminate the Party's guidelines and the State's policies and laws on territorial sovereignty, and legal instruments on the Việt Nam–Cambodia border.

Việt Nam and Cambodia share a land border of approximately 1,258km. Over the years, the governments, militaries, and people of both countries have well observed agreements, decrees, and cooperation regulations to ensure security, safeguard sovereignty, protect border markers, and strengthen friendship.

General Giang noted that military and defence cooperation between the two countries has become increasingly practical and effective, helping consolidate a peaceful and stable environment for national development. Key achievements include information exchanges, strategic advice to senior leadership, joint patrols, and coordinated efforts against cross-border crimes.

The minister also praised the model of paired border posts, twinning ties between hamlets, and social welfare initiatives for border communities, such as free medical care, donation of breeding cattle, scholarships, and “adopted children of border posts” initiatives, which have strengthened military-civilian ties and promoted economic development along the border.

General Tea Seiha also appreciated the sustained Việt Nam–Cambodia cooperation, expressing his hope that building on this Border Defence Friendship Exchange, bilateral defence relations will become stronger, more enduring and fruitful in the time to come. — VNA/VNS