Fostering friendship

- An Giang province has 5 districts, towns, and cities bordering 2 provinces of the Kingdom of Cambodia. This unique characteristic requires that international integration and border defense diplomacy be carried out closely and effectively, contributing to building a peaceful border, promoting socio-economic development, and strengthening national defense and security.

Maintain friendly relations between the forces.

According to the Provincial Border Guard Command, the unit consistently maintains good relations with the Cambodian authorities and border protection forces in coordinating border management and protection, preventing and combating various types of crimes and illegal entry and exit. In 2024, border guard posts exchanged information 278 times with the opposing forces. In addition, five pairs of hamlets and villages in Vietnam and Cambodia have maintained fraternal ties; 11 border guard posts have also established fraternal ties with the border guard forces on the opposite side.

At the end of 2024, the Provincial Border Guard Command, in coordination with the Provincial Military Command, organized cultural, artistic, and sports activities, and exchanges with the Military Sub-district and Police forces of Takeo and Kandal provinces to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army (December 22, 1944 - December 22, 2024) and the 35th anniversary of the National Defense Day (December 22, 1989 - December 22, 2024). This meaningful activity is a concrete example of defense diplomacy between An Giang province and the two provinces of Takeo and Kandal. It demonstrates the great concern and trust of the leaders of the two armies and forces in the younger generation, creating opportunities for exchange of experiences and recalling the glorious, heroic, and loyal traditions of the relationship between the two countries.

The relationship, solidarity, and close ties between the armed forces are also clearly demonstrated in the frequent exchanges of visits and greetings during each other's traditional New Year celebrations. During the recent Lunar New Year of the Snake 2025, many delegations from the Cambodian border guard forces visited and offered New Year greetings and gifts to the Border Guard Command and border guard posts along the border. Recently, on the occasion of the traditional Chol Chnam Thmay New Year of the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Provincial Border Guard Command and the commanders of the border guard posts organized visits, New Year greetings, and presented gifts and cash to the border guard forces on the opposite side, including: the Royal Cambodian Army Guard Command; the Department of Development of the Ministry of National Defence of the Kingdom of Cambodia; the Gendarmerie, Police, and Military Sub-district Commands of Kandal and Takeo provinces; the 605 Border Guard Police Battalion, the 601 Border Guard Regiment, and the Chrey Thum Border Gate Police Station (Kandal province). Border Guard Police Battalion 603, Border Guard Battalion 333, Phnom Den International Border Gate Police Station (Takeo Province).

At the units, Colonel Tran Quoc Khanh (Commander of the An Giang Provincial Border Guard) extended New Year greetings to all officers, soldiers of the armed forces and the people of Cambodia. Colonel Tran Quoc Khanh emphasized: “In the coming time, the armed forces of the three provinces will maintain regular talks, frequently exchange information and situations with each other, and promptly resolve incidents occurring on the border in the spirit of respecting each other's independence and territorial integrity, preventing the occurrence of hotspots on the border; and educate the people about the long-standing good traditions between the two nations, the people of the two countries, and the armed forces of the three provinces. They will continue to closely coordinate in border management and protection, combating all types of crime, especially drug-related crimes, human trafficking, and illegal immigration… Maintaining security and social order in the border area, contributing to building a peaceful, friendly, cooperative, and developing border. We are confident that the cooperative relationship between the parties will continue to be strong, effective, and develop to a new level; consolidating sustainably with the motto "Good neighborliness, friendship, tradition, and comprehensive cooperation." area, long-term sustainability."

Lieutenant General Chhoeurn Sochet (Director of Kandal Provincial Police) stated: “The close coordination between the parties has facilitated trade, economic, cultural, and social development, ensuring peace for the people; maintaining security and social order in the border area between the two sides. In the coming time, the units will continue to coordinate to serve high-level delegations visiting and working; maintain stability on both sides of the border, preventing the formation of hotspots; and regularly hold diplomatic meetings to exchange information and the situation along the border under their responsibility.”

Vietnam and Cambodia are two neighboring countries sharing a common border, with a long-standing tradition of solidarity, friendship, and cooperation, forged through years of shared struggle for independence and freedom. The solidarity and mutual assistance between the two Parties and armed forces in general, and between the three border provinces of An Giang, Kandal, and Takeo in particular, is the greatest source of strength and a precious asset that needs to be preserved, nurtured, and passed on to future generations. As President Ho Chi Minh wrote in his telegram to Head of State Norodom Sihanouk on November 8, 1968: “Today as tomorrow, our two countries will forever remain close friends…”

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