Vietnam, Cambodia foster traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation

	Inaugurating communal house for Vietnamese Cambodian in Kampot
	Vietnam prioritises enhancing relations with Cambodia
	Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association branch in Hoa Tho Tay ward, Cam Le district, Da Nang established

The bilateral meeting took place on the sidelines of the Special ASEAN - China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and the 6th Lancang - Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

Son expressed his wish to work closely with the Cambodian official and utilise the two foreign ministers’ direct contact channel so as to discuss and handle issues in bilateral ties as well as regional and international matters of common concern in a timely manner, thereby helping to enhance the fine neighborliness, traditional friendship, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia, Vietnamplus reported.

Prak Sokhonn congratulated Vietnam on its recent achievements and expressed his deep thanks for the Vietnamese Government and people's financial aid and medical supplies for his country to effectively cope with the new Covid-19 outbreak.

Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (L) meets with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn. Photo: VNA

The two ministers noted with satisfaction that their countries’ relations have sustained the development trend amid the pandemic, maintained frequent high-level contacts and exchanges, and brought into play bilateral cooperation mechanisms. Two-way trade continues to increase, hitting US$ 3.89 billion in the first four months of this year, a year-on-year increase of 122 percent.

They agreed to increase coordination in border management and prevention of illegal border crossings while facilitating cross-border trading.

During the meeting, Minister Son thanked and asked Cambodia to continue resolving the legal status for the people of Vietnamese origin. He asked Cambodia's competent agencies to ensure their interests and welfare for them during implementing socio-economic development policies.

In response, Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn affirmed that the Cambodian Government will continue paying attention to and create favourable conditions for Vietnamese students and businesses, along with the people of Vietnamese origin, in the country.

He said he hopes that the people of the two countries will soon resume exchange and tourism activities once the pandemic is brought under control.

Photo: Hanoimoi

Vietnam and Cambodian will work together to organize practical and meaningful activities to celebrate the 55th founding anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties (June 24) next year, thus helping to enhance communications to raise the awareness of their people, especially the youths, of the countries’ relations.

Talking about regional and international issues of mutual concern, the ministers agreed to reinforce ties at multilateral forums and join other member countries in maintaining ASEAN’s solidarity and strengthening the bloc’s centrality so as to effectively respond to common challenges.

Minister Son affirmed that Vietnam is ready to coordinate with and assist Cambodia to successfully organise the 13th Asian-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit this November and serve as Chair of ASEAN in 2022.

Previously, on June 3, Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Vuong Dinh Hue also held talks with his Cambodian counterpart Samdech Heng Samrin via video teleconference.

Hue said he wants to closely cooperate with President of the Cambodian National Assembly Samdech Heng Samrin, Prime Minister Hun Sen and other Cambodian leaders to further promote and intensify the good neighborliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation and long-lasting sustainability between the two countries and legislatures.

The Cambodian leader congratulated Vietnam on the success of the 13th National Party Congress and the elections of deputies to the 15th NA and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2021 – 2026 tenure and spoke highly of the achievements the Party, State, Government and people of Vietnam have reaped in the cause of national construction and socio-economic development.

Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Vuong Dinh Hue holds virtual talks with his Cambodian counterpart Samdech Heng Samrin. Photo: VNA

He also thanked the Party, State and people of Vietnam for supporting the Cambodian people in their past struggle for national liberation and their present process of national construction and development.

Hue told his Cambodian counterpart that Vietnam has been making all-out efforts to accomplish the dual goal of containing the Covid-19 pandemic and sustaining positive economic growth, adding that the country managed to post a growth rate of 2.91 percent last year.

Hue reiterated Vietnam’s consistent policy of attaching importance to and giving a high priority to strengthening its traditional friendship with Cambodia as well as its support for the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP)’s leadership in building a peaceful, independent and neutral Cambodia.

He also expressed his support for Cambodia’s policy on regional and international integration and multilateralisation and diversification of foreign relations, thus contributing to peace, stability and development in the region and the world as a whole.

The two leaders appreciated the two countries’ ratification of documents marking the completion of 84 percent of land border demarcation and marker planting workload, and expressed their hope that the remaining work will be completed to build a borderline of peace, friendship, cooperation and development, for peace and prosperity of the two nations’ people.

Hue thanked the Cambodian National Assembly, Government and relevant agencies for supporting the Vietnamese community living, studying and working in Cambodia during the fight against the pandemic.

Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Vuong Dinh Hue (left) holds talks with his Cambodian counterpart Samdech Heng Samrin via video teleconference on June 3. Photo: VNA

Agreeing with his Vietnamese counterpart, Heng Samrin welcomed the two governments’ joint determination to consolidate cooperation and support each other in ensuring security and preventing cross-border crimes such as human trafficking, smuggling of drugs, forestry products, wild animals and explosives, as well as in stepping up socio-economic development in border areas, and in combating Covid-19.

He spoke highly of Vietnam’s efforts to well control the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, while thanking Vietnam’s assistance to Cambodia’s fight through the provision of medical supplies and equipment.

The two leaders also discussed measures to boost parliamentary diplomacy.

Hue affirmed that Vietnam will back and share experience with Cambodia to successfully organise international conferences in 2021 and support Cambodia’s elections of deputies to the 5th-tenure commune-ward councils in 2022 and to the 7th-tenure National Assembly in 2023.

The Vietnamese leader vowed to coordinate with his Cambodian counterpart in implementing the cooperation agreement between the two legislatures, signed in May 2019.

The two leaders highlighted the need to encourage and supervise ministries, sectors, localities and businesses to carry out signed agreements so as to deepen the Vietnam-Cambodia comprehensive cooperation.

Vietnam-Cambodia trade up 64 percent in two months Trade turnover between Vietnam and Cambodia exceeded US$1.33 billion in the first two months of this year, up 64 percent year-on-year.

Vietnam gave 80.000 face masks as gifts to Cambodian People's Party and Vietnamese-born Vietnam's representatives handed over 50,000 face masks to representatives of Cambodia for support in preventing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association of former voluntary soldiers launched in Chuong My The Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association of former voluntary soldiers in Chuong My District received its establishing decision and hold its launching ceremony on January 17.