In recent years, Tay Ninh armed forces have focused on comprehensively and synchronously implemented defense foreign affair work with Cambodia. Thereby, it has contributed to building a national border of peace, friendship, and stability; maintaining political security, social order, and safety; and creating a favorable environment for the province’s socio-economic development and national defense and security strengthening.

As an important economic, defense, and security province of Military Region 7, Tay Ninh has 240 km of border with three Cambodia’s provinces: Svay Rieng, Pray Veng, and Tbong Khmun with two international border gates of Xa Mat and Moc Bai and 14 inland border gates. There is a trans-Asia route running through the province which is an important bridge among ASEAN countries. Thoroughly grasping the lines, views, guidelines, and policies on foreign affairs of the Party, the State, the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of Defense, and directly the Military Region 7 Party Committee and High Command, the Provincial Military Party Committee and Command have always determined that defense foreign affairs is one of the important, permanent, and long-term political tasks. Therefore, the contents and forms of defense relationship and cooperation have been expanded in several fields, with deferent partners, and in depth and substantially.

Sr. Col. Nguyen Van Tru signs comprehensive cooperation with representatives of 4 Cambodian military sub-regions

Implementing the Project on defense foreign affairs in the period of 2014 - 2020 of the Military Region 7 High Command, the Provincial Military Command has signed the Regulations for Twinning and Memorandum of Cooperation with four military sub-regions of the provinces of Pray Veng, Svay Rieng, Tbong Khmun, and Oddar Meancheay as a basis for bilateral and comprehensive cooperation. At the same time, it has directed military command boards of districts and Tay Ninh city to sign twinning and cooperation agreements with 12 military zones under localities of three border provinces. In the spirit of solidarity, friendship, respect, and mutual understanding, the contents of coordination have been carried out consistently in many fields, such as landmark demarcation, delegate exchange, mission exchange, experience exchange and learning in terms of military work, politics, propaganda, dissemination, legal education for the people, repatriation the remains of Vietnamese voluntary troops and experts sacrificed in Cambodia, etc.

During the implementation, the authorities and armed forces of both sides have maintained the regular meeting routines, as well as exchanged information directly via the hotlines. Annually, the two sides hold talks to assess the results of coordination and set out the direction for activities in the following year. By efforts from both sides, the Province has completed the demarcation of its border line of about 228/240 km, of which 102/109 major milestones have been built. Currently, the authorities of the two countries are striving to surmount the difficulties and settle the emerging problems to complete the demarcation work in the shortest time.

A performance exchange between Tay Ninh armed forces and Cambodian military sub-regions

Delegation exchanges have been organized to learn from each other's experiences. In the last 3 years, the Provincial armed forces and the authorities have organized more than 100 business trips to Cambodia for its officials in compliance with procedures and principles, meeting the purpose and requirements set out. At the same time, over 150 delegations of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces have been thoughtfully and respectfully welcome to work and visit during holidays, New Year, and professional, cultural, and sports exchanges,... that have contributed to strengthening the friendly, solidary neighboring relationship between the governments and militaries of the two countries. Cambodia has also actively supported and created favorable conditions for K70 and K71 Task Force to fulfill their tasks of finding and repatriating the remains of Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts dying in the country.

Besides, the Provincial Border Guard units have worked closely with the border guards and the adjacent local governments of Cambodia. The two sides have actively supported each other in the management, protection, and maintenance of political security in the border area in the spirit of “Good neighbors, traditional friendship, and avoiding dispute and flashpoint". Since 2015, there have been more than 400 bilateral patrols to protect border lines and landmarks. Thereby, the two sides' border protection forces have agreed to deal with issues related to territorial sovereignty and resolve disagreements and disputes from the onset, not to affect peace and stability in the border areas. Military agencies at all levels and functional forces of the two countries have coordinated in propagating and educating national defense and security to more than two thousand border household heads on the National Border Law and the Vietnam-Cambodia treaty, etc. As a result, the people’s awareness and sense of self-observance of border laws and regulations have been raised, creating favorable conditions for foreign affairs in general and foreign affairs on national defense in particular. The functional forces of the two sides have regularly exchanged and notified each other of the activities of all types of crimes, especially armed robbery, drug and weapon trafficking, human trafficking, illegal immigration, etc. Border Guard posts have organized and strictly controlled immigration activities at border gates and entrances, promoted the role of state management, and renovated and reformed administrative procedures, contributing positively to the development of border gate economy, increasing local budget revenue, and creating favorable conditions for the people’s convenient and fast exchange, trade, economic development, etc.

Along with promoting foreign affairs on national defense, the Provincial Military Party Committee and Command have also actively consulted the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee in foreign affairs and diplomacy. Accordingly, the Provincial Military Party Committee and Command have led and directed agencies and units to coordinate with socio-political organizations, such as the Youth Union, the Women's Union, the Veterans Association, among others, in well carrying out the twinning, seminars, exchanges, etc. with the respective Cambodian organizations, units, and authorities. Agencies and units have actively participated in social welfare and charitable activities and supported the people in Cambodian localities to build civil projects. Annually, the Provincial Military Medical sector actively cooperates with local hospitals to organize delegations of officials and doctors to carry out medical examination and treatment and provide free medicines to the Cambodian troops and people. The Provincial armed forces have also actively involved in building socio-economic infrastructure, such as rural transportation, health facilities, schools, helping the Cambodian people to improve the intellectual standards and material and spiritual life. In particular, the Border Guard posts have advised the governments of the two sides of the border to promptly and effectively settle the incidents on the spot in the spirit of cooperation, solidarity, and friendship, etc. These concrete and practical actions have contributed to enhancing the understanding, strengthening trust, and spreading foreign policy of solidarity, friendship, and affection of our Party and State in the hearts of the Cambodian people and government.

The provincial 515 Steering Committee commend Cambodian individuals and collectives with contribution to the repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese voluntary troops and experts

The results of the Vietnam - Cambodia defense cooperation of the Provincial armed forces have been evaluated as a "bright example" by the Military Region 7 High Command. That is an important basis contributing to firmly defending sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity; maintaining stability on the border line; and  promoting socio-economic development and firmly consolidating national defense and security in the Province. In order for the defense cooperation with the Cambodian army and people to be more and more effective and to develop to new heights, in the coming time, the Provincial armed forces will continue to implement the following major solutions:

Firstly, to continue thoroughly grasping the Party's foreign policy and defense and military lines, the Central Military Committee's Resolution No.806-NQ/QUTW on “International integration and foreign affairs on national defense by 2020 and beyond.” On that basis, to strengthen the leadership and direction of the Party committees and commanders at all levels in innovating thinking and boldly making breakthrough and creativity in implementation. At the same time, to actively advise the local Party committees and authorities to promote the synergy of all departments, sectors and unions in coordinating synchronously and effectively implementing the defence diplomacy.

Secondly, on the basis of the Project on international integration in defense by 2020 with the vision to 2030 of the Ministry of Defense and the implementation plan of the Military Region High Command, continue to concretize the appropriate contents and forms of cooperation with foci and priorities.In the immediate future, to actively advise the competent authorities to coordinate with Cambodian agencies in accelerating the demarcation progress and building patrol roads and border belt roads. To effectively cooperate in searching and repatriating the remains of Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts and coordinate to well solve the issues related to overseas Vietnamese in Cambodia.

Thirdly, to constantly improve knowledge and skills for officers and soldiers, especially the presiding ones and the staff working in foreign affairs. Agencies and units should attach importance to political and ideological education, particularly the contents related to foreign affairs and international relations and cooperation. To actively foster and train Cambodian language and law, information technology, and knowledge and skills and foreign affairs, etc. Thereby, to build firm and sensitive political perspectives and stance to be absolutely loyal to the Party, Fatherland, regime, and people; to have good ethical qualities, competence, and professional qualifications; and to flexibly, creatively, and effectively implement principles and guidelines on foreign affairs in new conditions.

Finally, the military agencies at all levels should actively advise local governments on economic development, especially border gate economy and agricultural projects along the border. To actively participate in the movement of the Army joining to build new rural areas, eliminate hunger, and reduce poverty. To participate with the local authorities in accelerating the implementation of border residential relocating projects near militia and border posts to form border stable and developed residential clusters to contribute to building comprehensively strong border provincial and district defense areas, which serves as a basis for foreign affairs in general and foreign affairs on national defense in particular to bring practical efficiency.

Promoting the achieved results, Tay Ninh province armed forces continue to raise their awareness, political responsibility to strive to well carry out the foreign affairs of national defense and contribute to deepening the spirit of “Nice neighbors, traditional friendship, and comprehensive and long-term cooperation” with the Kingdom of Cambodia. That is the basis and premise for firmly protecting sovereignty, border security, and social order and safety, creating a favorable environment for socio-economic development and cooperation and strengthening national defense and security for the two countries and nations.

Senior Colonel Nguyen Van Tru, Standing member of the Provincial Party Committee, Commander of the Provincial Military Command