Phnom Penh, February 7 (AseanAll) — The Prime Ministers of Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos have underscored the importance of strengthening trilateral relations and cooperation to support development and maintain peace and stability in the region.
The remarks were made on the afternoon of 6 February 2026 during a trilateral meeting between Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone at the Solidarity Palace in Phnom Penh, on the sidelines of the high-level party leaders’ meeting among Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos, taking place from February 6-7, 2026.
Hun Manet highly valued the close communication at all levels and the productive cooperation among the three countries. He noted positive progress in economic and trade relations and proposed further initiatives to enhance commercial cooperation, with targets of US$700 million in trade with Laos by 2030 and US$20 billion in trade with Vietnam in the coming years.
The Cambodian Prime Minister also encouraged greater people-to-people exchanges and broader connectivity through infrastructure, transport, culture, tourism and electricity cooperation. In this regard, he called on technical teams to accelerate preparations for linking the Phnom Penh-Bavet and Ho Chi Minh City-Moc Bai expressways.
The three Premiers emphasised that strong trilateral relations and cooperation are vital for development as well as for safeguarding peace and stability in the region. They agreed to further strengthen cooperation in politics and diplomacy, information sharing through foreign affairs mechanisms, mutual support within regional and international frameworks, and exchanges among future generations of leaders.
The meeting also reaffirmed commitments to enhanced cooperation in defence and security, particularly in combating cross-border crime, cyber fraud and non-traditional security threats. In the areas of trade and investment, Vietnam expressed its readiness to continue promoting further investment in Cambodia.
In addition, the leaders agreed to deepen connectivity among the three countries, including physical infrastructure, transport, electricity, education and training, to support national economic development and promote the “Three Countries, One Destination” tourism initiative.
