Lieutenant General Khamlieng Outhakaysone (left) and General Tea Seiha inspect a guard of honour during the welcome ceremony at the Ministry of National Defence in Vientiane.

Laos, Cambodian armies strengthen bilateral cooperation

The Lao People’s Army and the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening military cooperation and strengthening friendship between the neighbouring nations, during a high-level visit to Laos by a Cambodian defence delegation.
Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, General Tea Seiha, is leading a delegation on an official visit to Laos from October 13-16, including talks aimed at enhancing defence relations.
A welcome ceremony for the Cambodian delegation took place on October 14 at the Ministry of National Defence, when the Minister of National Defence, Lieutenant General Khamlieng Outhakaysone, and his delegation formally received the Cambodian guests.
Following the ceremony, the two defence ministers held talks to review ongoing cooperation between their armed forces.
They praised the longstanding friendship and solidarity that have long characterised Lao-Cambodian relations and acknowledged the positive progress achieved despite global and regional challenges in recent years.
Discussions highlighted the importance of maintaining peace and security along the two countries’ shared border, promoting mutual understanding, and expanding cooperation in areas such as information exchange, cultural and sports activities, and efforts to prevent illegal activities.
The two ministers agreed to strengthencoordination in combatting illegal immigration, transnational crime, human trafficking, and illicit trade, as well as efforts to counter hostile groups attempting to disrupt bilateral ties.
They also pledged to continue collaboration in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, including the three-nation (Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam) joint disaster response exercises, and to strengthen cooperation mechanisms already in place between their defence agencies.
During the visit, General Tea Seiha and his delegation will observe the three-army disaster relief exercise at the Army Logistics Academy in Nam Houm, and attend a meeting of the Defence Ministers of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.
The Cambodian delegation will also visit the Kaysone Phomvihane National Defence Academy to share experiences in defence education and training.
The visit marks another milestone in the enduring partnership between the Lao People’s Army and the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, reinforcing their shared goal to ensure peace, stability, and prosperity along their common border and throughout the region.
General Tea Seiha and his delegation also paidcourtesy visits to President Thongloun Sisoulith and Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update October 16, 2025)