In an astounding turn of events, Cambodia has withdrawn from the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Area (CLV-DTA). The 25-year-old sub-regional framework had been in place to strengthen socioeconomic, migration and defence ties between the three neighbours through interprovincial cooperation. The CLV-DTA, encompassing 13 provinces (four in Cambodia, four in Laos and five in Vietnam), was motivated by a shared desire to enable economic exchanges across the three countries’ borders.
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While acknowledging that the CLV-DTA “has been immensely beneficial” for countries involved, the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially informed Vietnam in a letter that “the cooperation mandate has reached its objectives”.
In August, Vietnamese spokesperson Pham Thu Hang underlined the strategic importance of the economic pact, highlighting that it helped “promote economic, trade and people-to-people exchanges between the three countries”. Pham also pledged to work closely with Cambodia and Laos to ensure the smooth organisation of the CLV-DTA Summit, which was scheduled to be held in Cambodia later this year.
in full: https://www.thinkchina.sg/politics/hun-manet-leads-cambodia-out-vietnams-shadow
