On the morning of October 18, a working delegation of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia - Democratic Republic of Lao people - Socialist Republic of Vietnam held a conference in Pleiku City, Gia Lai province, as part of a field survey in border areas in provinces in the Development Triangle (CLV) region.

This is the first time the National Assembly of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam has conducted a joint field survey in preparation for the National Assembly Summit of the three countries, which is scheduled for early December 2023.

Mr. Vu Hai Ha - Member of the Party Central Committee, Chairman of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee - led the delegation from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to the meeting. Mr. Sous Yara, Chairman of the National Assembly Committee for Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, Information and Communications, and Mr. Kep Chuk Tema, Chairman of the National Assembly's Home Affairs, Defense, and Public Affairs Committee, represented the Kingdom of Cambodia. Mr. Linkham Douansavanh, Chairman of the National Assembly Committee on Economics, Technology, and Environment, as well as representatives from ministries, branches, and provincial leaders in the Development Triangle area, were on the Lao People's Democratic Republic's side.

This is the first time the National Assembly of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam has conducted a joint field survey in preparation for the NAC Summit.Representatives from Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dak Nong, Dak Lak, and Binh Phuoc provinces made very practical recommendations at the conference to promote economic and social exchanges between border provinces.

Dak Nong province, in particular, proposed that the governments and ministries of Vietnam and Cambodia quickly reach an agreement on the construction of the Dak Dang border bridge. Encourage the implementation of the 2019 Supplementary Treaty and the Protocol on land border demarcation, as well as the demarcation of the Vietnam-Cambodia border; Prioritize investment capital for the construction and upgrade of the Dak Peur border gate (Dak Nong province) - Bu Sara (Mondulkiri province - Cambodia) into an international border gate between 2025 and 2030.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Que, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee in Gia Lai province, proposed that the three countries' parliaments have special preferential mechanisms for the Development Triangle area, such as preferential investment tax and export policies, and mobilization mechanisms. mobilize capital and strengthen cooperation in the implementation of health projects between the two countries; at the same time, there are policies in place to help trade goods move more smoothly in the future:

"Gia Lai Province proposes to continue negotiations with the Cambodian National Assembly to raise the level of commercial transport quotas between the two countries, with the goal of eliminating transport quotas in the program to facilitate trade development." Cooperation in the CLV (Development Triangle) and comprehensive trade development between the two countries. It is suggested that the Ministry of Planning and Investment, ministries, and central branches take into account and supplement the list of tasks, programs, and projects. projects, cooperation, and connectivity until 2030 in the Action Plan to connect the economies of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam until 2030; Research and planning for the construction of a highway connecting Ratanakiri province (Cambodia) with the CT.20 Quy Nhon - Pleiku - Le Thanh expressway (Vietnam; Investment in the project to build an international general hospital in the Development Triangle area." Mr. Nguyen Huu Que, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee, takes the floor.

The conference estimated that trade turnover between Vietnam and Laos reached 1.19 billion USD in the first nine months of 2023, down 1.96% from the same period in 2022; Vietnam's exports to Laos totaled 395 million USD, while imports from Laos totaled 802 million USD. Trade turnover between Vietnam and Cambodia reached 6.5 billion USD in the first nine months of 2023, a 23% decrease from the same period in 2022. Vietnam's exports to Cambodia totaled $3.73 billion USD. Cambodian imports into Vietnam totaled $2.77 billion USD.

The Development Triangle area's growth rate in 2022 is 8.62%; the economic structure is changing positively, with agriculture, forestry, and fisheries accounting for 29.4% of regional GRDP; industry and construction accounting for 27.4%, and services accounting for 38.7%; and GRDP per capita (current prices) reaching 60.6 million VND in 2022.

However, in the context of many changes in the global and regional situation, new approaches are required in the fields of foreign affairs, economics, culture-society, defense, and security within the Development Triangle regional cooperation. Many analyses and recommendations were sent to the three countries' National Assembly Summits by the delegates.

Mr. Vu Hai Ha - Member of the Party Central Committee, Chairman of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee - expressed his appreciation for the contributions of delegates from other countries as well as delegates from domestic ministries and branches, as well as localities in the Development Triangle area, at the meeting's conclusion. The opinions are important for the parliaments of the three countries to continue accompanying and promoting mechanisms for the region, maintaining security, and building a border of peace, friendship, and development. Develop and strengthen the relationship between the three countries and their respective legislatures.

"After 20 years of development and formation of the Development Triangle area, the governments of the three countries have actively implemented many policies, cooperation mechanisms, and signed documents." From there, we have accomplished remarkable things. positive outcomes, contributing to peacekeeping, promoting socioeconomic development, ensuring national defense and security, and gradually improving people's lives in the provinces of the region's three countries. Cooperation in the Development Triangle must achieve notable breakthroughs in order to meet the basic needs of localities in the Development Triangle area in the new period," said Mr. Vu Hai Ha, Member of the Party Central Committee and Chairman of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee.

Previously, on the afternoon of October 17, the survey team of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam's Foreign Affairs Committee surveyed the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam border junction marker and the Bo Y International Border Gate in Kon Tum province. On the afternoon of October 18, the survey team conducted a survey at the Le Thanh International Border Gate before continuing their business trip to Cambodia.