Vietnam and Cambodia will remain long-term comprehensive, friendly partners, and the two countries will further foster a bilateral relationship, prime ministers said at a discussion on November 8 during the visit of Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to Cambodia.

Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (right) meets his Cambodian counterpart Samdech Techo Hun Sen on November 8, 2022. Photo: VOV

The two governments will strengthen their cooperation in national defense and security, and both countries will not allow military actions on their territories that threaten the benefit and national security of one another, Vietnam’s Prime Minister and his Cambodian counterpart Samdech Techo Hun Sen said.

Despite the adversities brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, the two PMs said that the bilateral relationship between Vietnam and Cambodia had developed well in a reliable, friendly manner through high-ranking discussions and two-way cooperation activities.

The two prime ministers said that Vietnam and Cambodia would work to implement existing agreements to maintain political stability and social security, prevent cross-border crimes such as human trafficking, smuggling, and drug dealing, and hasten the co-working in cyber security.

Prime Minister Chinh appreciated that borderline Cambodian and Vietnamese authorities had extensively tried to rescue illegally-forced Vietnamese laborers in Cambodia.

The two government leaders agreed to have better measures to end the issue for the protection of the Vietnamese and Cambodian people.

The two sides also said that further joint activities and efforts would be carried out to find and repatriate the remains of Vietnamese and Cambodian soldiers to their home countries.

The two prime ministers said that the two countries would foster economic relations, improve infrastructure and legal system, bolster cooperation among state agencies and businesses in digital transformation, develop a self-reliant economy, and support each other for further international integration.

PM Chinh and Samdech also said that borderline trading and economic activities are essential to both countries and that they are pleased that the Vietnam-Cambodia Border Trade Agreement will be signed on the occasion of the visit.

Prime Minister Chinh also suggested the Cambodian government improve the business conditions for Vietnamese companies' long-term, stable operations.

Economic, investment and trading relations have become a highlight in the Vietnam-Cambodia relationship. Two-way trade turnovers in the first nine months of 2022 were US$8.45 billion, up nearly 16.7% year-on-year, and the total number in 2021 was $9.5 billion, up almost 80% year-on-year. Vietnam is one of the five most prominent foreign investors and tops among ASEAN foreign investors in Cambodia, having set up nearly 200 active projects in Cambodia with total registered capital of $2.92 billion.

Vietnamese and Cambodian prime ministers also committed to fully implementing signed borderline agreements. Vietnam and Cambodia will work and finalize the solutions for the 16% of the borderline that has been unmarked in a friendly, peaceful manner.

Both prime ministers said that the two nations must bolster their relations in the international communities amid complicated global and regional developments, promote the role of the ASEAN, and contribute to the world's peace, stability, and cooperation.

Prime ministers Pham Minh Chinh and Samdech Techo Hun Sen observe the signing of 11 agreements between Vietnam and Cambodia. Source: VGP

Vietnam and Cambodia are highly aware of the security and safety of sea and air transport and ask related parties to seek peaceful, legal solutions to settle their disputes subject to international laws, including The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) signed in 1982 and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in South China Sea (DOC).

On his part, Prime Minister Chinh congratulated the government and people of Cambodia for their efforts to restrain the Covid-19 pandemic and socio-economic recovery. He said that the election of Cambodia’s 7th National Assembly 2023 will take place successfully and that Cambodia will develop and prosper in the future.

Speaking highly of the achievements made by Cambodia as the ASEAN Chairmanship 2022, PM Chinh believed the country would successfully host the 40th and 41st ASEAN summits and related events in the coming days.

In return, Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech warmly greeted the visit of PM Chinh to the country, remarking the visit as an important event on the 55th anniversary of the Vietnam-Cambodia diplomatic relationship.

The Cambodian government leader congratulated Vietnam for remarkable achievements in socio-economic development, prevention of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the election to the United Nations Human Rights Council 2023-2025.

After the discussion, the two prime ministers witnessed the signing of 11 agreements between the two governments in agricultural cooperation, land transport, border trade, administrative procedures, digital transformation and post and telecommunications, voice broadcasting, labor exchange, and renovation of finance and payment system.