Vietnam Pictorial

Asean

New progress in land border demarcation between Vietnam, Cambodia

13/10/2019

Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen paid an official visit to Vietnam from October 4-5. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen co-chaired a conference reviewing the land border demarcation and marker planting work of Vietnam and Cambodia during 2006-2019. They also witnessed the singing of the Supplementary Treaty to the 1985 Treaty on the Delimitation of National Boundaries and the Supplementary Treaty to the 2005 treaty (known in short as the 2019 Supplementary Treaty), and the protocol on land border demarcation and marker planting.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc hosted a welcoming ceremony for Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen
at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi on October 4. Photo: Thong Nhat / VNA

The two leaders with Hanoi children. Photo: Thong Nhat / VNA

The two Prime Ministers hold talks. Photo: Doan Tan / VNA

Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong receives Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen. Photo: Tri Dung / VNA

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan meets Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen
during the latter’s official visit to Vietnam. Photo: Van Diep / VNA

Deputy Foreign Minister and Head of the National Border Committee Le Hoai Trung briefed the press on the significance of this event.

The signing of a Supplementary Treaty to the 1985 and 2005 Treaties on the Delimitation of National Boundaries, a protocol on land border demarcation and marker planting on October 5 affirmed the two countries’ good will in peacefully settling border issues in line with international law and based on the principle of respecting each other independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, equality and mutual benefit, the Deputy Foreign Minister said in an interview granted to the press.

The documents will create an important and convenient legal framework for border management.

Vietnam and Cambodia share about 1,245 km of land border, and they have demarcated 1,045 km, or 84%, and built 2,047 border markers, he said, adding this facilitates coordination between authorized forces of both sides to better manage the borderline and ensure safety and security in the border regions.

Besides, the demarcation will facilitate socio-economic development along the border line and people-to-people exchange between ten Vietnamese border provinces and nine Cambodian localities, and contribute to the friendship and cooperation for development between the two countries, he said.

He also said the signing of the documents created a strong driving force for the two sides to deal with the remaining 16% of workload.

The two Prime Ministers witness the signing of a protocol on land border demarcation
and marker planting between the two countries. Photo: Thong Nhat / VNA

The signing of the Annex to the Protocol on land border demarcation and marker planting. Photo: Thong Nhat / VNA

The signing of the Supplementary Treaty to the 1985 Treaty on the Delimitation of National Boundaries
and the 2005 Supplementary Treaty between Vietnam and Cambodia. Photo: Duong Giang / VNA

The two Prime Ministers at a photo exhibition held on the sidelines of the conference reviewing
the land border demarcation and marker planting work of the two countries. Photo: Thong Nhat / VNA

The two leaders hold a press conference after their talks. Photo: VNA

The signing of an MOU on cooperation in electricity and an agreement on construction progress
and handover of a model border market in Cambodia. Photo: Thong Nhat / VNA

The signing of an aid agreement for the construction of the office buildings for the Secretariat of the Cambodian National Assembly,
and an MOU on mutual assistance in the customs sector. Photo: Thong Nhat / VNA

The signing of an aid agreement between the two governments to transfer 3 million US dollars
for the construction of some work items of a rehabilitation center for drug addicts in Sihanouk province. Photo: Thong Nhat / VNA

The two leaders visit an exhibition displaying products of enterprises of the two countries
at the Vietnam-Cambodia trade and investment promotion conference. Photo: Thong Nhat / VNA

“For nearly 40 years, Vietnam and Cambodia have made great efforts to settle border issues, including the land border demarcation and marker planting between the two countries. These efforts have brought about important results, including the conference reviewing the land border demarcation and marker planting work during 2006-2019 and the signing of documents recognizing the achievements in land border demarcation and marker planting in Hanoi on October 5. The signing of the 2019 supplementary treaty and the protocol is as a major event in the bilateral relationship and a historic milestone in the process of the settlement of land border issues between Vietnam and Cambodia.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh

The diplomat reiterated that Vietnam’s persistent policy is to well settle the land border issues with its neighbors on the basis of international law so as to nurture long-term relations with the countries.

Vietnam shares a borderline on land with China, Cambodia and Laos, with boundary delimitation and border marker planting already completed with China and Laos.

The border between Vietnam and Cambodia was formed since feudal time, but the delimitation stopped at the boundaries among regions. Under the colonial regime, the border was adjusted by the Governor-General of Indochina.

After the French withdrew from Indochina in 1954, the entire border was drawn on the 1:100,000 scale Bonne map and the 1:50,000 scale UTM map. The Supplementary Treaty supplements the 1985 and 2005 Treaties on the basis of the 1:25,000 scale map.