Vietnam and Cambodia will continue to maintain and strengthen political trust and work closely together to preserve and promote the solidarity between the two countries.

State President To Lam and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet. Source: VNA

The view was shared during a meeting in Phnom Penh today [July 13] between State President To Lam, who is on a state visit to Cambodia from July 12-13,  and Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Moha Bovor Thipadei Hun Manet.

The two leaders expressed satisfaction with the robust and comprehensive development of bilateral relations across all fields, which has brought practical benefits to the people of both countries. They emphasized the importance of regular exchanges and meetings at all levels and channels, especially at the Party, State, and National Assembly levels, and through people-to-people exchanges.

Vietnam is Cambodia's second most important trading partner, accounting for 22.2% of Cambodia's exports in the first quarter of 2024.  Both sides are confident that bilateral trade will soon reach the target of $20 billion.

Discussing the direction and solutions to enhance bilateral relations in the future, the two leaders agreed to maintain regular high-level visits and contacts across all channels, effectively implement signed commitments, agreements, and cooperation mechanisms, and enhance connectivity and communication efforts. This includes broad-based educational campaigns to inform the general public, particularly the younger generation, about the strong ties between the two nations. They also agreed to organize a visit for a Cambodian youth delegation to Vietnam.

The two leaders are committed to the principle of not allowing hostile forces to use each other's territory to the detriment of the other and to deepening cooperation in defense and security.

In addition, Vietnam and Cambodia will cooperate more closely in combating high-tech and transnational crimes, continue to build a peaceful, stable, cooperative, and sustainable border, and support each other in training and reinforcing law enforcement capacities.

Regarding economic connectivity, they agreed to accelerate the implementation of signed agreements, such as the Memorandum of Understanding on the development and connection of border trade infrastructure, the Agreement on Promoting Bilateral Trade for 2025-2026, and to expedite transportation connectivity, border gate coordination, and cooperation with Laos to implement the "One Journey, Three Destinations" tourism package across Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.

Both are expected to make good use of the newly opened direct flight route between Hanoi and Phnom Penh by Vietnam Airlines and further promote people-to-people exchanges, especially among the youth, as well as cultural, artistic, media, and sports activities, and organize cultural days/weeks in each country.

Overview of the meeting.

Thanking President To Lam for encouraging Vietnamese businesses to increase investment in Cambodia, Prime Minister Hun Manet committed to continuing to create favorable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises and to support and protect Vietnamese investors, which is also an important goal of the Cambodian Government to intensify private sector connectivity between the two countries.

Recognizing the importance of cooperation in human resource development, the two leaders agreed to further strengthen collaboration in this vital area, including Vietnam's continued granting of scholarships for Cambodian students to study in Vietnam.

Besides mutual support in enhancing the capacity of officials, both sides will also focus more on attracting students to study in each other's countries in fields suitable for new development trends, such as digital transformation and scientific-technological applications.

Both sides agreed to effectively implement the border-related treaties, agreements, and arrangements that the two countries have signed, continue negotiations to find fair and reasonable solutions to the unresolved border demarcation areas, and to strengthen cooperation in preventing human trafficking and drug smuggling across the border to ensure the security and safety of the residents of the border provinces.

They emphasized the need for cooperation in addressing emerging issues in a spirit of solidarity and friendship, focusing on building and developing the border gate system and ensuring smooth transportation connectivity across the border to promote socio-economic development in both countries and border localities, effectively participating in regional and sub-regional connectivity initiatives.

On this occasion, President To Lam thanked and appreciated for Cambodia's recent granting of citizenship to three individuals of Vietnamese origin, thus laying the groundwork for continued cooperation in handling subsequent cases. The President expressed his hope that Cambodia would continue to provide support and favorable conditions for the Vietnamese community to integrate and live securely in Cambodia, serving as a bridge for the friendship between the two countries.

In terms of regional and international cooperation, both sides agreed to support Laos in fulfilling its role as the Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2024 and the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) in 2024, promote cooperation in the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle and the Greater Mekong Subregion, and cooperate in the sustainable management and use of the Mekong River's resources for the benefit of the people in the basin, for the future of succeeding generations, and for the solidarity among the riparian countries, in a spirit of mutual respect, understanding, equal cooperation, and mutual benefit.

On this occasion, the Vietnam News Agency and the Cambodian National News Agency AKP signed an agreement on professional cooperation in the field of information and communication to meet the current development requirements of journalism in the digital age and contribute to strengthening the good-neighborly relationship and traditional friendship.