Standing Member of Secretariat Tran Cam Tu's visits to Laos and Cambodia demonstrate consistency in Party's foreign policy
WVR - According to Member of the Party Central Committee, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Ministry, and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Manh Cuong, the official visit to the Lao People's Democratic Republic and the Kingdom of Cambodia by Standing Member of the Secretariat Tran Cam Tu is not only a continuation of policy but also a step to concretize high-level commitments into practical actions, creating new momentum for trilateral cooperation.
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| Member of the Party Central Committee, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Ministry, and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Manh Cuong, emphasized the significance and expectation of the visit by Standing Member of the Secretariat Tran Cam Tu. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
From April 9-10, Member of the Politburo and Standing Member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of Vietnam Tran Cam Tu 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, Member of the Party Central Committee, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Ministry, and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Manh Cuong gave an interview to the press about the significance and expectations of the visit.
Could you please share the significance, purpose, and importance of the official visit to Laos and Cambodia by Standing Member of the Secretariat Tran Cam Tu?
Implementing the 2026 foreign affairs program of key leaders and at the invitation of Vilay Lakhamphong, Standing Member of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, and Samdech Say Chhum, Vice President of the Cambodian People's Party, Head of the Standing Committee of the Central Committee of the Cambodian People's Party, Standing Member of the Secretariat Tran Cam Tu will officially visit Laos on April 9 and Cambodia on April 10, 2026.
This is the first official visit by the Standing Member of the Secretariat to two close neighbouring countries, taking place at a time of significant political and cultural meaning. The people of Laos and Cambodia are preparing to celebrate their traditional New Year festivals – Bun Pi-may and Chol Chhnam Thmey – which showcase cultural identity, community solidarity, and the long-standing bond among the three Indochinese countries. Additionally, the visit occurs right after Vietnam successfully organized the 14th Party Congress, the 16th National Assembly election, and the elections for the People's Councils at all levels, completing the leadership apparatus and implementing new strategic orientations.
Notably, the visit follows the highly successful state visit by General Secretary To Lam to Laos and Cambodia in February 2026, clearly demonstrating continuity and consistency in the implementation of our Party's foreign policy. This is not only a policy inheritance but also a step to concretize high-level commitments into practical actions, creating new momentum for trilateral cooperation.
In the context of rapid, complex, and unpredictable global and regional changes, strengthening and enhancing Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia relations is essential, especially as all three countries are in the process of development, modernization, and deep integration, requiring close coordination to seize opportunities, minimize risks, and promote development.
This visit, therefore, holds significant importance. Firstly, it reaffirms Vietnam's consistent foreign policy of prioritizing relations with Laos and Cambodia. Secondly, it strengthens the political trust foundation among the three Parties and States. Thirdly, it reviews and accelerates the implementation of high-level commitments and agreements between the two countries, contributing to further promoting Vietnam-Laos and Vietnam-Cambodia relations into a new, effective, substantive, and trustworthy development phase. Fourthly, it enhances widespread communication to the people of the two countries, especially the younger generation, about the solidarity, friendship, and close ties between Vietnam-Laos and Vietnam-Cambodia, thereby consolidating a solid foundation for strategic relations between Vietnam-Laos and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam-Cambodia.
In fact, youth and student exchange programs, as well as local twinning activities in recent times, have significantly contributed to nurturing the bond among the younger generation of the three countries. Thousands of Lao and Cambodian students studying in Vietnam each year serve as a long-term bridge for friendly relations.
During the visit, Standing Member of the Secretariat Tran Cam Tu will discuss with senior leaders of Laos and Cambodia major orientations to promote comprehensive cooperation, emphasizing the effective implementation of the agreements reached. The focus is on deepening relations, making them substantive, and linked to the specific interests of the people, such as developing connectivity infrastructure, border trade, education and training, and digital transformation.
Could you please share the recent status of Vietnam-Laos and Vietnam-Cambodia relations and the expectations for this visit?
Recently, Vietnam-Laos and Vietnam-Cambodia relations have continued to develop positively and comprehensively, achieving substantial results in all fields.
For Laos, political relations continue to be a solid foundation. The high trust between the two Parties and States is reflected in regular high-level contacts, effective cooperation mechanisms, and close coordination in international forums. Following the state visit by General Secretary To Lam, both sides quickly implemented "strategic connectivity," a concept reflecting extensive and synchronized cooperation from development vision to specific policies.
In the economic field, cooperation is undergoing significant transformation. Bilateral trade turnover in 2025 reached nearly USD 3 billion, an increase of nearly 33% compared to 2024 – a figure indicating impressive growth. Vietnam is currently Laos' third-largest trading partner and one of the top investors with 274 projects, totaling nearly USD 6 billion. Key projects such as transportation connectivity, energy, and logistics infrastructure are gradually creating a shared development space.
Defense and security cooperation continues to be a crucial pillar, contributing to maintaining political stability and social order, especially in border areas. At the same time, fields such as education, culture, health, and agriculture have achieved positive results, contributing to improving people's lives.
For Cambodia, the two countries' relations have made significant progress. Political trust is firmly consolidated based on principles agreed upon at the high level. Economically, Vietnam is Cambodia's third-largest trading partner globally and the largest within ASEAN. In 2025, bilateral trade turnover exceeded USD 11.3 billion, an increase of nearly 12% compared to the previous year.
Vietnam currently has 229 investment projects in Cambodia with a total capital of nearly USD 3 billion, focusing on key areas such as agriculture, telecommunications, banking, and energy. These projects not only bring economic benefits but also create jobs, contributing to local socio-economic development.
Defense and security cooperation between the two countries continues to be strengthened, playing an important role in ensuring stability in border areas. At the same time, fields such as culture and society, science and technology, and people-to-people exchanges are being vigorously promoted, especially cooperation between border localities.
Overall, Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia relations today are built on three main pillars: high political trust, increasingly deep economic cooperation, and increasingly close people-to-people exchanges. This is a solid foundation for the three countries to develop together in the context of deep international integration.
With this foundation, the visit by Standing Member of the Secretariat Tran Cam Tu is expected to create new changes, specifically in several aspects:
Firstly, promoting the implementation of high-level commitments, ensuring the continuity and effectiveness of cooperation mechanisms. Secondly, enhancing economic connectivity, particularly in transportation infrastructure, energy, and digital transformation. Thirdly, expanding education and training cooperation, developing high-quality human resources – a key factor for sustainable development. Fourthly, promoting people-to-people exchanges, especially among the younger generation, to strengthen the social foundation for long-term relations.
It can be affirmed that this visit not only holds diplomatic significance but also marks an important milestone, contributing to shaping a new development direction for Vietnam-Laos and Vietnam-Cambodia relations in the coming period.
With the high political determination of the leaders of the three Parties and States, along with the traditional solidarity and close bond among the people of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, we have every reason to believe that the visit will be a great success, contributing to strengthening and elevating the comprehensive friendship and cooperation between the three countries for peace, stability, cooperation, and sustainable development in the region.
Thank you very much!
