AKP Phnom Penh, February 17, 2026 --

The military chiefs of Cambodia and Laos have pledged to deepen bilateral defence cooperation and reinforce their "long-term comprehensive strategic partnership" as the two Southeast Asian neighbours mark 70 years of formal diplomatic ties in 2026.

The commitment was reaffirmed on Monday afternoon during a high-level bilateral meeting between H.E. Gen. Vong Pisen, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), and H.E. Lt. Gen. Saichay Kommasith, Deputy Minister of National Defence and Chief of the General Staff of the Lao People’s Army, who is currently leading a senior military delegation to the Cambodian capital.

Both sides expressed strong satisfaction with the current momentum of military-to-military relations, citing successful high-level exchanges and effective collaboration through established security committees. Key areas of ongoing cooperation include: Coordinated efforts to maintain order along the shared frontier; Joint initiatives to combat terrorism and various forms of transnational crime; Active exchange programmes and military scholarships.

During the discussions, the commanders outlined a roadmap to further fortify the defence pillar. This includes the rigorous implementation of existing bilateral protocols and the utilisation of established mechanisms to resolve local issues. The two army leaders also emphasised the need for enhanced intelligence sharing to preemptively disrupt cross-border criminal networks and improved coordination on disaster relief operations.

The defence talks come at a significant milestone for the two nations. Since establishing formal ties in 1956, Cambodia and Laos have steadily elevated their relationship, sharing a frontier of more than 550 kilometres.

Official data indicates that approximately 86 percent of the shared border has been formally demarcated. Both military leaders reiterated their support for technical border teams as they work to resolve the remaining sections, aiming to transform the boundary into a permanent "frontier of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development" for future generations.

By K. Rithy Reak