The Vietnam–Cambodia Border Defense Friendship Exchange took place in Tay Ninh Province, featuring a series of meaningful activities witnessed by delegations from both countries on the morning of November 13. The Vietnamese delegation was led by General Phan Van Giang, Politburo Member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission, and Minister of National Defense, while the Cambodian delegation was headed by General Tea Seiha, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense.
For the first time in the framework of the exchange, a joint military medical exercise was conducted. Vietnamese and Cambodian military medics collaborated with local health authorities to treat simulated victims of severe flooding and the collapse of three high-rise construction complexes which resulted in casualties among workers and local residents. The exercise included joint command of medical operations, on-site emergency response, triage and treatment at field stations, and evacuation using ambulances and helicopters.
The delegations then attended the inauguration of a new semi-boarding classroom block at Ben Cau Primary School in Thuan Lam Hamlet, Ben Cau Commune. The facility, serving both Vietnamese and Cambodian children living near the border, includes one ground floor and three upper floors with 12 rooms, including a computer lab, a library, two teacher dormitories, two student dormitories, and six classrooms.
Speaking at the ceremony, General Tea Seiha praised the school’s educational quality, noting that it enables students to develop their abilities and character comprehensively, contributing to local education. He wished the Vietnamese and Cambodian students success in their studies and hoped they would grow into responsible, capable citizens who contribute to the prosperity of their families and countries.
Continuing the exchange, delegates witnessed the twinning of border hamlets between Long Cuong (Long Thuan Commune, Tay Ninh) and Otamo (Monorum Commune, Svay Teap District, Svay Rieng Province). Residents of both hamlets pledged to comply with their respective national laws and bilateral border agreements, actively participate in border protection under guidance from local authorities, and regularly exchange agricultural techniques, livestock breeds, and best practices for local infrastructure development to support community livelihoods and economic growth.
