At the reception, President Sang expressed his conviction that the visit will contribute to further strengthening bilateral relations and hailed Cambodia’s socio-economic achievements that have helped improve people’s living conditions and affirm the country’s internationally rising status.

“Vietnam is willing to support Cambodia in developing into a prosperous nation and performing well its role as a proactive ASEAN member.” Sang said.

The Vietnamese State leader suggested both sides should increase education and healthcare cooperation, elevate the two-way trade turnover to US$5 billion next year, and boost coordination at regional and international forums.

Sang said he hopes that Cambodia's NA will enter a new stage of development with many new successes under the clear-sighted leadership of NA leader Heng Samrin.

President Heng Samrin expressed satisfaction with the fine development of diplomatic relations between the two countries in various fields and hoped that the historical solidarity will continue to grow and flourish.

He also briefed his host on the Cambodian legislative body’s operations including advantages and disadvantages that need to be addressed in the time ahead.

Heng Samrin thanked Vietnam for its great support given to his nation’s past struggle for escaping from the genocidal regime and the current national construction in a multitude of areas such as infrastructure development, human resource training, humanitarian aid.

Receiving the Cambodian NA leader the same day, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung expressed his delight at the flourishing bilateral relations and reiterated Vietnam’s greater efforts to continue boosting cooperation across the board with Cambodia.

The Government leader said he hopes that President Heng Samrin and the Cambodian NA will continue supporting the two countries’ joint efforts in land border demarcation and marker planting in the spirit of friendship and sincerity in conformity with their laws and international practices.

Dung also asked the Cambodian NA to help with the definition of the Vietnamese community’s legal status, enabling them to integrate better into the Cambodian society and contribute to the resident country’s development as well as bilateral ties.

He also urged the Cambodian NA will continue support for the search and repatriation of the remains of more than 5,000 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers fallen in the country.

Concerning the recent acts of some Khmer Kampuchea Krom extremists such as conducting illegal demonstrations against Vietnam and even burning the country’s national flag, which hurt Vietnamese people, PM Dung asked the Cambodian legislature and Government to take proper measures to prevent similar cases in the future.

Heng Samrin said he feels regret about the demonstration against Vietnam, especially the burning of the national flag of the country, saying that these actions were done by a group of extremists who were incited by some elements with limited knowledge about the two countries’ history.

Vietnam is Cambodia’s leading economic, Heng Samrin said while believing that Vietnam will continue backing Cambodia’s development through enhancing partnership in economics, trade and investment and encouraging more Cambodian investments.