A communications co-operation plan was signed by Vietnamese Minister of Information and Communication Nguyễn Mạnh Hùng and Cambodian Minister of Information Khieu Kanharith in Phnom Penh on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photo

PHNOM PENH — Việt Nam and Cambodian have reached a deal to promote co-operation in communications in 2019.

The plan was signed by Vietnamese Minister of Information and Communication Nguyễn Mạnh Hùng and Cambodian Minister of Information Khieu Kanharith in Phnom Penh on Thursday.

Hùng said his visit to Cambodia was aimed at realising agreements reached between the two countries after the visit to Cambodia by Party General Secretary and President Nguyễn Phú Trọng last month.

Hùng said he wanted to invite the Cambodian Ministry of Information to join research and build online media archive centres in both countries which would serve as an important tool in managing e-newspapers and online information.

He expressed continuous support for the use of Official Development Assistance of Việt Nam for projects to extend networks and improving staff capacity for Cambodian broadcasters and TV stations.

He suggested the ministries provide professional training and exchanges of reporters between and fight online crimes and the spread of fake news.

Miniser Khieu thanked Vietnamese news agencies, including the Vietnam News Agency, the Vietnam Television and the Voice of Vietnam, for helping disseminate information about the 40th anniversary of the victory over the genocidal regime. Big media agencies have not only helped Cambodia in terms of equipment but also in human resources training, he said.

The ministers agreed to direct the press to increase coverage of socio-economic situations to help increase mutual understandings.

Later the same day, minister Hùng paid a courtesy visit to Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen.

Minister Hùng said he hoped the Cambodian PM would continue supporting and create conditions for telecommunications businesses of Việt Nam to promote investment and business and for Vietnamese businesses to join projects on information technology application, e-Government and smart cities.

Cooperation with Laos

During a visit to Laos on Tuesday, Minister Hùng had talks with Lao Minister of Post and Telecommunication Thansamay Kommasith. The two sides expressed delight at the co-operation and discussed directions for their partnership in future.

On the occasion, the Lao minister asked for continued assistance from Việt Nam in personnel training.

Several co-operation agreements were signed, including one between the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Lao Ministry of Post and Telecommunication, another between the Authority of Information Security and the LaoCERT, and one between the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunication Group (VNPT) and the Lao E-Government Centre. — VNS