Vietnam deepens bilateral ties with Cambodia and Laos

Vietnamese Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng met Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, reaffirming a “good‑neighborly, traditional friendship” and pledging tighter political, security and economic cooperation. The leaders highlighted a rise in bilateral trade to nearly US$5 billion in the first four months of 2026, a 9.6% increase year‑on‑year, and a 41.6% jump in Cambodian tourist arrivals. They agreed to accelerate infrastructure links, including the Ho Chi Minh City–Mộc Bài–Bavet–Phnom Penh highway, expanded border checkpoints and studies on special economic zones.

In a parallel meeting, Lê Minh Hưng welcomed Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone in Hanoi. The two officials stressed the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Laos, noting that Vietnamese investment in Laos reached US$582 million in the first quarter of 2026 – more than four‑fold the previous year’s level – and that cumulative Vietnamese capital in Laos now totals about US$6.6 billion across 289 projects. Cooperation was also outlined in defence, energy, logistics and the upcoming ASEAN Future Forum 2026. Both dialogues underscored shared commitments to regional stability, ASEAN cooperation and joint development of Mekong‑region initiatives.