Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hosted a reception inHanoi on March 4 for visiting Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister ofInterior Sar Kheng.

PM Chinh affirmed that despite complicated and unpredictabledevelopments of the international situation, the good neighbourliness,traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam andCambodia continue to be consolidated and intensified. Notably, cooperation insecurity-defence always receives special attention by the two countries’ leaders,and is considered an important pillar in the bilateral ties.

He asked the Cambodian Ministry of Interior andthe Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security to continue strengthening the fightagainst all kinds of crimes, especially transnational ones; and coordinating inrescuing and repatriating Vietnamese citizens being detained and forced to workin illegal gambling facilities in Cambodia.

Thanking the Deputy PM and other leaders of Cambodia for payingattention to the Vietnamese community living in the country, Chinh proposed that they continue directing authorised offices to carry out appropriate measuresto help Vietnamese people deal with difficulties in applying for citizenship,and in resettlement affairs.

As Cambodia will organise many important events this year,including the election of the seventh National Assembly, the 32nd SoutheastAsian (SEA) Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games, the Vietnamese Government iswilling to support and share experience with Cambodia to make these event asuccess, the Vietnamese PM said.

For his part, Sar Kheng affirmed that Cambodia always bearsin mind Vietnam’s valuable support for its struggle for national liberation inthe past and the nation building and development cause at present.

He expressed his belief that with sincere affection,solidarity and mutual trust, the two countries will make most of their goodneighbourhood, time-tested friendship, and all-round cooperation, and work togetherto solve problems effectively.

The two sides showed their delight at the growing economiccooperation, with two-way trade hitting 10.6 billion USD last year, up 11% year-on-year.To date, Vietnam has had 205 valid investment projects in Cambodia with a totalregistered capital of 2.94 billion USD, ranking first in ASEAN and among thefive largest foreign investors in Cambodia.

Agreeing that there remains ample room for economic collaboration, the leadersproposed the two countries strengthen infrastructure connectivity and work together to build anindependent, self-reliant, and integrated economy. In the immediate future, the two countries should make good preparationsfor a conference of their border provinces; and inaugurate two new border gates, inorder to build a border line of peace, friendship, cooperation and development.

The two sides also agreed to support each other atmultilateral forums; back ASEAN's principled stance on the East Sea; upholdinternational law; fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conductof Parties in the East Sea (DOC), build a substantive, valid and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with internationallaw and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)./.