Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia Discuss Strategic Infrastructure Connectivity

The first Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Tourism Ministers’ Conference was held in Ho Chi Minh City on August 26, establishing a ministerial-level tourism cooperation mechanism among the three countries. This meeting is part of a broader initiative to strengthen strategic infrastructure connectivity and people-to-people exchanges in the region. A key focus of the conference was the role of young people in socio-economic development and how to transform connections among them into concrete cooperation. A Vietnamese official emphasized that training young officials and strengthening exchanges are particularly important for preserving and promoting friendship and cooperation among the three parties, states, and peoples. This conference highlights Vietnam's drive for regional cooperation, with a particular emphasis on infrastructure development and human resource exchange. Vietnam is advancing a human resource training scheme for its urban railway network development, projecting a need for around 70,000 workers by 2030. This initiative is a concrete measure to secure the necessary workforce to support infrastructure investment and development, forming a crucial foundation for economic growth. Furthermore, Vietnam is increasingly recognizing overseas Vietnamese (OV) as a significant resource for national development and is shifting its approach to engage them more deeply. Resolution No. 23 reflects a shift in Vietnam’s approach to overseas Vietnamese, increasingly recognising them as an important resource for national development. It also demonstrates Vietnam’s continued commitment to openness and deeper international engagement. The resolution shifts the Party's approach from "pooling, gathering and caring for" OV to "accompanying them and creating mechanisms", opening the door to deeper engagement in national development. In the realm of science and technology, Vietnam is actively pursuing international cooperation, expressing a keen interest in learning from South Korea's experiences. Le Thi Viet Lam, Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation under the Ministry of Science and Technology, said Vietnam wishes to continue building an ecosystem that connects the State, research institutes, universities and businesses, enabling them to share resources and create value. This is also an area in which Vietnam is interested in learning from Korean experience. These developments underscore Vietnam's strategy to maintain economic growth while expanding its regional influence and deepening engagement with the international community. Amidst complex relations with China, strengthening ties with regional nations is a critical component of Vietnam's foreign and security policy.