According to information released by the General Department of Viet Nam Customs on October 29, a high-level delegation from the department, led by Director General Nguyen Van Tho, attended the Viet Nam–Cambodia Customs Directors General Conference in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, from October 27 to 29.
The high-level event is organised alternately by the customs authorities of the two countries every two years to consolidate cooperation, provide mutual support, facilitate trade, and ensure supply chain security for bilateral trade.
Reviewing the results of cooperation, the two sides acknowledged the efforts made by their customs units to provide administrative assistance, facilitate cross-border trade, coordinate anti-smuggling efforts, and support each other at international customs forums. Cooperation in anti-smuggling investigations was identified as an important and consistent element of bilateral relations.
Information is exchanged to support investigations and the verification of cases involving the illegal cross-border transportation of goods, trade fraud, and intellectual property rights infringements at the border. The two sides also coordinate information sharing on the prevention and control of drug-related crimes, money laundering, terrorism, and the illegal trade in animals, plants, and products derived from species listed in the appendices to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Cooperation between customs units in areas sharing a common border has also been maintained, helping strengthen solidarity and friendship, safeguard local political security, and facilitate trade exchanges and the import and export of goods.
The two sides place particular emphasis on sharing information about border gates, as well as policies and procedures governing imported and exported goods and luggage, and vehicles entering and leaving their respective countries, in order to coordinate efforts to prevent and combat smuggling and trade fraud.
Looking ahead to 2027–2028, the customs authorities of Viet Nam and Cambodia affirmed their commitment to continued close cooperation, focusing on four key areas.
First, the two sides will continue implementing the Memorandum of Understanding between Viet Nam’s Ministry of Finance and Cambodia’s Ministry of Economy and Finance on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs matters.
The second area concerns maintaining regular annual contact between designated liaison officers at all levels on both sides to ensure the smooth flow of information.
In addition, the two sides will strengthen coordination in management and facilitate cross-border trade and transit goods, with a focus on sharing information to support risk assessment for exported, imported, and transit goods, as well as vehicles engaged in transit.
The fourth priority is to maintain close coordination in preventing and combating smuggling, trade fraud, the illegal trafficking of drugs, and the cross-border trade in other prohibited goods.
