Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone (right) meets his Vietnamese and Cambodian counterparts during a trilateral meeting on the margins of the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia strengthen trilateral ties at ASEAN Summit

Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone met  his Vietnamese and Cambodian counterparts in Kuala Lumpur on Monday to strengthen cooperation in development, security and digital innovation.
During the meeting, held on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Summit, Dr Sonexay, Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Manet shared warm sentiments on seeing each other again and reaffirmed their deep friendship and unity as close neighbours.
They praised the steady progress of the trilateral cooperation mechanism, which reflects the long-standing bonds of solidarity and mutual support among Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia.
Their talks focused on ways to expand collaboration across key areas such as politics, economy, defence, energy, infrastructure and tourism. The leaders agreed to increase exchanges in education and human resources to bring direct benefits to their peoples.
Dr Sonexay highlighted the trilateral meeting of Defence Ministers hosted in Vientiane in October and the successful joint disaster rescue exercise involving the  armies of the three nations, describing them as practical examples of regional partnership and mutual trust.
According to Vietnamese news sources, the three leaders also agreed to strengthen cooperation in digital transformation, including building electronic identification systems and developing digital government models to enhance public services.
Laos recently launched its new digital identification card, marking an important milestone in national digital transformation. The initiative was developed with support from the Vietnamese government, demonstrating the growing partnership between the two countries in promoting innovation and e-governance.
The leaders further discussed closer coordination in maintaining border stability, fighting cross-border crime, and addressing emerging security challenges, including in cyberspace. The leaders supported faster progress in border demarcation and marker planting.
The three countries aim to strengthen transport links and promote the development of border areas, while enhancing economic and financial partnerships. Vietnam proposed to raise bilateral trade with Laos to US$5 billion and with Cambodia to US$20 billion in the coming years.
Trade between Laos and Vietnam has grown steadily. In the first nine months of 2025, two-way trade reached more than US$2.1 billion, with Lao exports valued at US$1.509 billion and imports at US$683 million, according to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
The leaders also reaffirmed the importance of maintaining regular dialogue among ministers and senior officials of the three nations to ensure continued cooperation and mutual understanding.
In closing, the three Prime Ministers reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening friendship and cooperation for peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update October 29, 2025)