Defence Minister General Ngo Xuan Lich held a phone discussion with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Tea Banh on September 8 to review bilateral defence cooperation.

Vietnamese Defence Minister General Ngo Xuan Lich (Photo: VNA)

Lich affirmed that Vietnam always attaches great importance to the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Cambodia.

He went on to say that the Vietnamese army stands ready to share experience and give support to the Cambodian side in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and in building capacity for the Cambodian n army.

Tea Banh, for his part, highly valued ties with Vietnam and thanked the Vietnamese army for helping Cambodia in various fields, particularly in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak.

He congratulated Vietnam’s Defence Ministry on the successful organisation of many ASEAN military-defence conferences amid the complex development of the pandemic this year, the year Vietnam holds the chairmanship of ASEAN.

He also expressed his gratitude for the ministry’s coordination in organising activities to mark the 43rd anniversary of the “Road to topple the Pol Pot genocidal regime” in Binh Phuoc province in June, saying this important event should be held annually.

Speaking highly of defence cooperation between the two sides since the beginning of the year, Lich and Tea Banh agreed that both ministries have given timely support to each other in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including sharing experience and medical supplies.

In the time to come the two ministries will continue cooperative activities approved by the leaders of the two defence ministries, including improving the efficiency of cooperative mechanisms, particularly the defence policy dialogue at the deputy ministerial level, working to complete cooperative frameworks, and enhancing collaboration between border guard forces to prevent transnational crime and trafficking.

They will also place borders under strict control to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Both defence leaders said they will support each other at multilateral defence cooperation forums within the ASEAN framework as well as mechanisms in which ASEAN plays a central role.

Tea Banh affirmed that the Cambodian Defence Ministry would continue coordination with the Vietnamese side so that the latter can successfully fulfil its role as ASEAN Chair this year.