Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court of Việt Nam Nguyễn Văn Quảng speaks at the conference in Phnom Penh on Friday. — VNA/VNS Photos Huy Bình

PHNOM PENH — The 8th Judicial Conference of the Border Provinces of Việt Nam, Cambodia and Laos took place in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Friday.

The event brought together delegations led by Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court of Việt Nam Nguyễn Văn Quảng, President of the Supreme Court of Cambodia Chiv Keng, and Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court of Laos Phayvy Syboualypha.

In his opening remarks, Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court of Laos Phayvy Syboualypha said the conference provided an opportunity for the judicial bodies of the three countries to exchange expertise, share experience and strengthen coordination in addressing issues arising in border areas.

He called on the sides to review cooperation outcomes over the past two years, draw lessons and map out more effective coordination in the time ahead.

Meanwhile, Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court of Việt Nam Nguyễn Văn Quảng welcomed increasingly substantive and effective cooperation among the three judicial systems.

He noted that after 16 years and eight editions, the conference has become an important forum for courts to share experience, strengthen mutual trust and understanding, and contribute to the friendship and cooperation among Việt Nam, Cambodia and Laos.

According to Quảng, against the backdrop of deeper international integration and growing economic, trade and investment exchanges, transnational crimes, particularly cyber-enabled crime and drug trafficking, as well as cross-border civil and commercial disputes, are on the rise.

"This requires stronger coordination and mutual assistance among judicial bodies to ensure law enforcement, uphold justice and build peaceful, friendly, stable and sustainably developing border areas," he said.

Quảng spoke highly of the topics selected for this year's conference, describing them as practical issues requiring closer and more regular coordination among the judicial authorities of the three countries.

He affirmed that the Supreme People’s Court of Việt Nam attached great importance to and wishes to further foster cooperation among the three court systems.

Leaders of the three delegations from Việt Nam, Cambodia and Laos sign a joint statement at the conference.

For his part, the President of the Supreme Court of Cambodia said the conference offered an opportunity to review the implementation of the joint statement adopted in Đà Nẵng City in 2024, while strengthening cooperation in combating transnational crime and handling civil and commercial cases involving cross-border elements.

The conference focused on four key areas: reviewing implementation of the 2024 joint statement; sharing experience in preventing, combating and adjudicating technology-enabled fraud; improving the settlement of cross-border civil and commercial disputes; and adjudicating cross-border drug trafficking cases.

At the end of the conference, the three sides signed a joint communiqué, agreeing to further strengthen judicial cooperation.

On the sidelines, Quảng held separate meetings with his Lao and Cambodian counterparts, Phayvy Syboualypha and Chiv Keng. The sides highly valued cooperation outcomes to date and agreed to continue delegation exchanges, enhance coordination and study the signing of new cooperation documents to deepen ties among the three judicial systems and deliver more practical results.

Earlier, on Thursday, Quảng paid a courtesy call on Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni. The King applauded the organisation of the conference, describing it as a useful forum for the courts to meet, share experience and coordinate their work, contributing to the building of peaceful and friendly borders.

On Saturday morning, Quảng visited the Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia, where he was briefed by Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyễn Minh Vũ on Việt Nam-Cambodia relations. Quảng expressed his hope that the embassy would continue promoting friendship and mutual trust between the two countries. — VNA/VNS