PHNOM PENH — A Vietnamese military delegation, led by Sen. Lieut. Gen. Phan Văn Giang, Chief of the General Staff of the Viet Nam People’s Army (VPA) and Deputy Minister of National Defence, on Saturday concluded their four-day official visit to Cambodia.

The visit, made at the invitation of General Vong Pisen, Commander-in-chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), aimed to review co-operation between the VPA General Staff and the RCAF High Command and discuss measures to boost collaboration.
During the stay, Giang paid a courtesy visit to Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen on October 30, during which the Vietnamese officer informed the PM of co-operation results between the two armies, including the implementation of a decree on regular rescue in border areas, collaboration between the two countries’ border guard forces on land and at sea, human resources training, and the search and repatriation of remains of Vietnamese soldiers in Cambodia.
The Cambodian PM, for his part, stressed the significance of the Vietnamese delegation’s visit, saying it would accelerate the implementation of pacts inked between leaders of the countries.
He highlighted defence collaboration as an important pillar in the Việt Nam-Cambodia “good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive co-operation and long-term sustainability”.
In talks with Vong Pisen last Thursday, Giang hoped both sides would accelerate border demarcation and marker planting work, create favourable conditions for Vietnamese nationals in Cambodia, and protect relic sites in Cambodia that feature friendship between the two countries and militaries.
Vong Pisen expressed his gratitude towards the Vietnamese Party, State, people and army for helping Cambodia escape from the Khmer Rouge genocidal regime. He also thanked Việt Nam for providing Cambodia with human resources training, strengthening the Cambodian armed forces.
The Cambodian Commander-in-Chief affirmed his full support for Việt Nam when the country takes up the chair of ASEAN in 2020, and organising the upcoming ASEAN Chiefs of Defence Forces Meeting.
The same day, Giang visited Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence General Tea Banh.
Last Friday, the Vietnamese and Cambodian defence ministries held a ceremony to present Việt Nam’s Friendship Order to units and individuals of the RCAF. — VNS