Phnom Penh(VNA) – Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on March 14 called on Vietnam to helpCambodia complete a national cyber information safety monitoring centre in2019, saying it is very essential to the country.

PM Hun Sen made theproposal at a reception in Phnom Penh for Vietnamese Minister of Informationand Communications Nguyen Manh Hung, who has been on a visit to Cambodia fromMarch 13-16.

Hung said the centre is a gift presented to Cambodia by Vietnamese Prime Minister NguyenXuan Phuc.

During the meeting, thetwo sides discussed cyber security and the fight against fake news.

Hung briefed the Cambodianleader on the contents of his ministry’s cooperation with Cambodia’s Ministriesof Information, and Posts and Telecommunications.

He voiced his hope thatthe PM will maintain support for Vietnamese technology and telecom enterpriseswhich are investing in the country such as military-run telecom group Viettel,Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) and FPT Corporation.

The minister also proposedCambodia to create favourable conditions for other Vietnamese enterprises toparticipate in projects regarding IT application in state and government agencies,as well as e-Government, smart city and infrastructure upgrade, and provisionof new services to better meet Cambodians’ demand for information exchanges.

During his four-day visit to Cambodia, Minister Hung and Cambodia’s Minister ofInformation Khieu Kanharith signed a cooperation plan and an action programmebetween the two ministries in 2019.

Minister Hung told Minister Khieu Kanharith duringtheir talks on March 14 that his visit aims to realise agreements signedbetween the two countries after the visit to Cambodia by Party GeneralSecretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong on March 25-26.

Minister Khieu Kanharith thanked the special supportof Vietnamese media including the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), Voice of Vietnam(VOV), and Vietnam Television (VTV) for disseminating the significant meaningof the 40th anniversary of victory over the Pol Pot genocidal regime (January7, 1979).

He said major Vietnamese communication agenciesnot only help Cambodia with equipment but also human resources training.

Regarding cooperation between the two ministries, Hung wanted theCambodian ministry to participate in researching and building an e-newspaperlegal deposit centre in the two countries as it is a necessary tool to manageelectronic newspaper and online information.

He showed his continued support for the use of the Vietnamese Government’s ODAfor projects to expand networks and increase the capacity of Cambodia’snational televisions and radios, and train skills and professional competence forits reporters.

He also pledged to coordinate with the Cambodian ministry to hold trainingcourses to help prevent cybercrime as well as the spread of inaccurateinformation.

The Vietnamese side suggested Cambodia increase the timing of the Vietnameselanguage radiobroadcasting proramme from 15 minutes to 30 minutes a day inPhnom Penh and six Cambodian provinces which accommodate a large number ofVietnamese.

Vietnam also urged Cambodia to help air VOV programmes in the Khmer language inSiem Reap and Tonle Sap Lake for at least three hours per day.

The two ministries agreed to further instruct Vietnamese and Cambodian media agenciesincrease news stories on socio-economic situation, land and people of the twocountries in order to intensify mutual understanding, solidarity and friendshipbetween their people.

Minister Hung thanked the Cambodian Ministry of Information for its close andeffective cooperation in supporting and creating conditions for Vietnamese reportersto fulfill their tasks in Cambodia.-VNA