Nguyen Manh Cuong, a member of the Central Committee of the Party, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Party Committee at the Ministry and Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, emphasized that the visit of Tran Cam Tu, a permanent member of the Central Committee of the Party, should bring about new changes. (Photo: Thanh Long)
From April 9 to 10, Comrade Tran Cam Tu, member of the Politburo and permanent Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, will lead a high-level Vietnamese delegation on an official visit to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and the Kingdom of Cambodia.
On this occasion, Nguyen Manh Cuong, a member of the Central Committee of the Party, permanent deputy secretary of the Party Committee of the Ministry, and vice minister of Foreign Affairs, granted an interview to the press regarding the importance and expectations related to this visit.
Could you explain the meaning, purpose, and significance of the official visit to Laos and Cambodia by Comrade Tran Cam Tu, a permanent member of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Party?
As part of the implementation of the 2026 foreign policy program of the top leaders and at the invitation of Comrade Vilay Lakhamphong, a permanent member of the Secretariat of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party’s Central Committee, and Comrade Samdech Say Chhum, vice-president of the Cambodian People’s Party and head of the permanent Committee of the Central Committee of the Cambodian People’s Party, Comrade Tran Cam Tu, a permanent member of the Secretariat, will make official visits to Laos on April 9 and Cambodia on April 10.
This is the first official visit of the Party Central Committee’s permanent Committee to two neighboring countries, coming at a moment of major political and cultural significance. The peoples of Laos and Cambodia are preparing to celebrate their traditional New Year festivals – Bun Pi-may and Chol Chhnam Thmey – festivities that highlight the cultural identity, community solidarity, and historical ties that bind the three Indochinese countries. This visit also follows the very successful state visits of Secretary General To Lam to Laos and Cambodia in February 2026, clearly demonstrating the continuity and coherence in implementing the Party’s foreign policy.
In a constantly evolving, complex, and unpredictable world and region, consolidating and strengthening relations between Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia is essential, especially as these three countries are in full development, modernization, and deep integration, requiring close coordination to seize opportunities, minimize risks, and promote development.
This visit is of great importance. Firstly, it reaffirms the consistency of Vietnam’s foreign policy, which values and prioritizes relations with Laos and Cambodia. Secondly, it strengthens the foundation of political trust between the three parties and states. Thirdly, it examines and encourages the implementation of high-level engagements and agreements between the two countries, thus helping to propel Vietnam-Lao and Vietnam-Cambodia relations towards a new stage of more efficient, concrete, and reliable development. Fourthly, it promotes the dissemination of information among the populations of both countries, especially among young generations, about the solidarity, friendship, and close ties between Vietnam and Laos, as well as Vietnam and Cambodia, thereby consolidating the solid foundations of relations and strategic links between Vietnam and Laos, and friendship and overall cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia.
Indeed, youth and student exchange programs and local twinning agreements have significantly contributed to forging close bonds among the younger generations of the three countries. Each year, thousands of Laotian and Cambodian students study in Vietnam, thus establishing a lasting friendship between the two nations.
During his visit, Tran Cam Tu, a member of the Party Central Committee’s permanent Committee, will hold talks with senior leaders of Laos and Cambodia on the key priorities for promoting comprehensive cooperation, emphasizing the effective implementation of existing agreements. The focus will be on deepening and strengthening relations by linking them to specific community interests, such as the development of connectivity infrastructure, cross-border trade, education and training, and digital transformation.
Could you tell us about the current state of relations between Vietnam and Laos, as well as between Vietnam and Cambodia, and your expectations for this visit?
In the past period, relations between Vietnam and Laos, as well as between Vietnam and Cambodia, have continued to develop positively and comprehensively, leading to many concrete results in all areas.
For Laos, political relations remain a solid foundation. The high level of trust between the two parties and states is evident through frequent high-level contacts, effective cooperation mechanisms, and close coordination within international bodies. Following Secretary General To Lam’s state visit, both sides quickly implemented the provisions of the “strategic commitment” concept, which reflects deep and concerted cooperation, from development vision to specific policies.
In the economic field, cooperation has undergone a profound transformation. Bilateral trade volume is expected to reach nearly $3 billion in 2025, an increase of over 33% from 2024 – a figure that reflects impressive growth. Vietnam is currently Laos’ third-largest trading partner and one of the main investors, with 274 projects representing a total investment of nearly $6 billion. Key projects, such as transport, energy, and logistics infrastructure, are gradually paving the way for shared development.
Defense and security cooperation remain essential pillars, contributing to maintaining political stability and social order, especially in border areas. Additionally, the education, culture, health, and agriculture sectors have also seen many positive outcomes, contributing to improving the living conditions of the populations.
For Cambodia, bilateral relations have made significant progress. Political trust has solidly consolidated based on agreed principles at the highest level. Economically, Vietnam is Cambodia’s third-largest global trading partner and the largest within ASEAN. By 2025, bilateral trade volume is expected to exceed $11.3 billion, an increase of over 12% from the previous year.
Vietnam currently has 229 investment projects in Cambodia, with a total capital of over $3 billion, focusing on key sectors such as agriculture, telecommunications, banking, and energy. These projects not only generate positive economic effects but also create jobs, contributing to the socio-economic development of the region.
Defense and security cooperation between the two countries continues to strengthen, significantly contributing to the stability of the border region. Additionally, cultural, social, scientific and technological exchanges, as well as people-to-people exchanges, are strongly encouraged, especially cooperation among border areas.
Overall, the current relations between Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia are based on three main pillars: high political trust, increasingly close economic cooperation, and ever-intensifying human exchanges. These pillars form a strong foundation for the three countries to develop together in a context of deep international integration.
On this basis, the visit by Comrade Tran Cam Tu, a permanent member of the Central Committee’s Secretariat, is expected to bring about new changes, particularly in several areas:
First, promote the implementation of high-level engagements, ensuring continuity and effectiveness of cooperation mechanisms. Second, enhance economic connectivity, especially in transport infrastructure, energy, and digital transformation. Third, develop cooperation in education and training to build high-quality human resources – a factor of sustainable development. Fourth, promote exchanges among peoples, especially among young generations, to consolidate the social foundations of long-term relations.
It can be said that this visit is not only of diplomatic importance but also marks a significant step, helping to define a new direction for the development of Vietnam-Laos and Vietnam-Cambodia relations in the upcoming period.
Thanks to the strong political determination of the leaders of the three parties and states, as well as the tradition of solidarity and close ties between the peoples of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, we have every reason to believe that this visit will be a great success, contributing to strengthening and enhancing overall friendship and cooperation between the three countries for peace, stability, cooperation, and sustainable development in the region.
Source: https://baoquocte.vn/thuong-truc-ban-bi-thu-tran-cam-tu-tham-lao-va-campuchia-the-hien-ro-tinh-lien-tuc-dong-bo-trong-trien-khai-duong-loi-doi-ngoai-cua-dang-379005.html
