Cambodian Ambassador to Vietnam Chay Navuth. Photo: VNA

2022 is an important year for Vietnam and Cambodia with a lot of activities held to mark the 55th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties, Cambodian Ambassador to Vietnam Chay Navuth has said.

Since the beginning of the year, the two countries have exchanged many high-level delegations, he said in an interview with the Vietnam News Agency (VNA).

This year Cambodia has also held the rotating ASEAN Chairmanship, so many senior Vietnamese leaders have come to Cambodia to attend regional events hosted by the country.

The ambassador highlighted a number of significant events in terms of diplomacy between the two countries in 2022, including an official visit to Cambodia by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in November. It was followed by a visit by National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue also in the month.

The visit to Cambodia was the first to this country by Hue as NA Chairman.

Heng Samrin, president of the National Assembly of Cambodia and Vuong Dinh Hue, chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam, sign the MoU on cooperation between the two legislatures in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in November 19, 2022. Photo: VOv

A total of 11 memorandums of understanding in many fields such as agriculture and labour were signed by the two sides during the Vietnamese PM’s trip to Cambodia while NA Chairman Hue’s visit helped boost the relationship between the legislatures of the two countries.

Recalling PM Chinh’s official visit to Cambodia at the invitation of his counterpart Samdech Techo Hun Sen, the ambassador said the two leaders co-chaired a trade and investment promotion forum in Phnom Penh.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Cambodian counterpart Samdech Techo Hun Sen witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the agricultural sector between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Cambodia. Photo: VNA

Many Vietnamese investors were interested in learning about Cambodia's new Investment Law to consider doing business in the country, he noted.

Another important milestone in the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Year 2022 was that Cambodian PM Hun Sen on June 20 arrived at the border area between the two countries to celebrate the 45th anniversary of his visit to Vietnam to seek the help of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers to liberate Cambodia from the Pol Pot genocidal regime.

At the event, the Vietnamese and Cambodian PMs gave historic speeches, emphasising the significance of solidarity and friendship between the people of the two countries.

The delegation of Vietnamese and Cambodian border guards planted trees of friendship at Linh Huynh Border Post. Photo: VGP

A solemn ceremony to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Cambodia was also held in Hanoi on June 24 with the participation of senior leaders of the two countries, the ambassador said.

He also said that efforts of the Cambodian and Vietnamese governments in controlling the Covid-19 pandemic have created favorable conditions for diplomatic activities and cultural exchanges, contributing to the success of the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Year 2022.

Most recently, on December 17, local management officials and representatives of the business communities of Vietnam and Cambodia joined a Vietnam-Cambodia trade and investment promotion conference in Phnom Penh.

According to Ngo Van Tuat, Minister Counsellor of the Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia, in the first 11 months of this year, trade between Vietnam and Cambodia reached USD 9.77 billion, up 13.2% year on year. The figure is expected to reach over USD 10 billion in 2022, he added.

Tuat held that agriculture is one of the priority areas of Cambodia and Vietnam's strength, suggesting that the two sides support each other in promoting the processing industry for agricultural products, thus forming a supply chain for the regional and global market.

He believed that with the new investment law of Cambodia and the signed agreements, investors and businesses of the two countries will foster their partnership in the fields of agriculture, agricultural product processing, construction, tourism, services, and trade, especially border trade.

President of the Cambodian Senate Samdech Say Chhum (right) meets with President of the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association Nguyen Thi Thanh. Photo: VNA

The Vietnam Coast Guard and the Cambodia National Committee for Maritime Security met in Hanoi on October 4 to discuss their hotline mechanism, which has helped them sustain contacts despite Covid-19. Photo: VNA

Young Vietnamese, Cambodian Border Guard Officers Exchange At noon on November 26, the first Vietnam - Cambodia Young Border Guard Officer Exchange Program 2022 ended successfully

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