Hanoi (VNA) – The 55th anniversary of the establishment ofVietnam-Cambodia diplomatic relations was celebrated solemnly at a ceremony in Hanoi on June24.

In his opening remarks, Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai,on behalf of the Vietnamese Party and State leaders and people, extended hisgreetings to the Cambodian Party, State and people on the meaningful day of thetwo nations.

The geographical proximity along with similarities inculture and history are a solid foundation for Vietnam and Cambodia to cultivateand develop one of the long-lasting traditional relationships in Southeast Asia,he stressed.

According to the Deputy PM, with the motto of "Goodneighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, long-termsustainability", over the past years, Vietnam-Cambodia relations have beencontinuously consolidated and developed in all fields, bringing practicalbenefits to the two peoples, and making positive contributions to peace,stability and cooperation in the region and the world.

Regarding the current bilateral relations, Khai said thatpolitical ties continue to develop well. The two sides have maintainedhigh-level contacts and exchanges and bilateral cooperation mechanisms in allchannels, even in the complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic inthe past two years.

The bilateral economic, trade and investment relations havealso posted encouraging results. Two-way trade hit 9.54 billion USD last year,up 79.1% year-on-year, and reached 5.44 billion USD in the first five months of 2022, up18.7% year-on-year. Vietnam is running 188 valid investment projects worth 2.8billion USD in Cambodia, ranking first in the ASEAN and among the top 5 in the world interms of investment in the country. In the first three months of 2022, over46,000 Vietnamese tourists visited Cambodia, making Vietnam the first in termsof the number of visitors to the nation.

Cooperation in the field of security and defence has beenstrengthened, Khai said, adding that the two sides have firmly adhered to theprinciple of not allowing any hostile force to use one's territory to harm thesecurity and interests of the other. On the basis of signed treaties andagreements, the two countries’ agencies, authorities and local people in borderareas have made efforts to build a shared border of peace, friendship,cooperation and development. The sides signed two legal documents recognisingthe completion of 84% of the demarcation and marker planting of their sharedborder in 2019, and are negotiating to handle the rest.

Collaboration in other fields such as education andtraining, transport, culture, health and telecoms has received due attention aswell.

The two countries’ leaders have also committed to creatingfavourable conditions for one’s citizens living in the other’s territory, inaccordance with their laws and the spirit of friendly neighbourliness.

The Deputy PM reaffirmed Vietnam's consistent policy ofsupporting an independent, peaceful, neutral and developing Cambodia.

The Vietnamese Party, State and people always attach greatimportance to and give high priority to their good neighbourliness, traditionalfriendship, and comprehensive cooperation with Cambodia, he added.

Men Sam An, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister, Minister ofNational Assembly-Senate Relations and Inspection, and Chairwoman of theCambodia - Vietnam Friendship Association, expressed her sincerest and most profoundrespect and gratitude for the support of the Vietnamese Party, State, army andpeople for the Cambodian side.

She affirmed that Vietnam's support and assistance hascontributed to the development of Cambodia from a war-torn to a unified countrywith complete peace and development in all areas.  

This anniversary is a testament to the consolidation andcultivation of the fine friendship, solidarity and cooperation between thepeoples.

According to her, the basic completion of the borderdemarcation and border marker planting and joint efforts to maintain and builda borderline of peace, friendship, cooperation and development aim at bringing aboutsubstantive benefits for the two peoples, especially those living along theborder./.