Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hada meeting with visiting President of the Cambodian Senate Samdech Say Chhum inHanoi on October 25.

PM Chinh congratulated Cambodia on the success of the recentelection of People’s Councils at the communal and ward levels with the greatvictory of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), as well as comprehensiveachievements that the country has gained, especially in the COVID-19 pandemic fight.

He hailed Cambodia’s contributions as the ASEAN and AIPA Chairin 2022, expressing his belief that the relevant high-level meetings in PhnomPenh in November will be successful, contributing to building an ASEANCommunity of peace, stability and prosperity, and enhancing the status and roleof Cambodia in the region and the world.

The Vietnamese leader affirmed that Vietnam stays persistentto its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification, multilateralisation,being a good friend, a trustworthy partner and a responsible member of theinternational community, not choosing sides but justice.

Vietnam aims to become a developing country with modernity-orientedindustry and income above the lower middle level by 2025, a developing countrywith modern industry and upper middle income by 2030, and a developed countrywith high income by 2045, he said, adding that the country will build anindependent, self-reliant economy with active and proactive international integrationin an extensive, practical and effective manner.

Briefing the guest on the situation of Vietnam, he said thatin the third quarter of this year, the country posted a GDP growth of 13.67%,with average expansion in the three quarters reaching 8.83%, the highest for nine months in 11 years.

PM Chinh highly valued the meaningful activities jointlyheld by both sides during the Vietnam-Cambodia, Cambodia-Vietnam FriendshipYear 2022, especially the celebration of the 45th anniversary of the odyssey to overthrow the PolPot genocidal regime held in June, and the ceremony marking the 55th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic relations in Hanoi in June. The activitieshave contributed to raising the public awareness, especially among the younggenerations, of the responsibility to preserve and reinforce the friendlyneighbourliness and solidarity between the two peoples, he said.

The leader said he hopes the President of the Cambodian Senate willcontinue to work for the further promotion of bilateral ties, while supportingthe maintenance of the regular delegation exchanges and the strengthening of bilateralcooperation mechanisms in all channels to further beef up the political trustamong senior leaders of the two countries.

PM Chinh suggested that the two legislatures promote theirrole in building institutions and completion of the legal system to create asmooth legal corridor for the strengthening of bilateral partnership in allfields, while working together to supervise and hasten ministries, sectors andlocalities to effectively implement the agreements signed between the twocountries.

Along with coordinating closely for a higher efficiency ofeconomic, trade and investment partnership between the two countries, theyshould work together to foster the connectivity of the two economies, he said.

He said he hopes President Samdech Say Chhum and theCambodian Senate will continue to support the implementation of measures toremove difficulties facing Vietnamese-origin people in Cambodia, helping them settle down and integrate into the host society and act as a bridge for the friendship between the two countries, while creating optimal conditions forVietnamese investors and businesses to operate in Cambodia.

The leader took theoccasion to thank the Cambodian side for its coordination in rescuing manyVietnamese citizens who were scammed and forced to work illegally at a numberof business establishments of foreigners in the Cambodian territory. He proposedthat the two sides continue to work together to thoroughly deal with theissue, and the Cambodian authorities continue to create favourableconditions for Vietnamese victims to return home safely.

For his part, Samdech Say Chhum highlighted the Vietnam-Cambodiatraditional solidarity, and thanked the Party, Government, military and peopleof Vietnam for supporting and giving timely and great help to Cambodiathroughout the history. He affirmed that Cambodia is working hard to furtherreinforce the solidarity, sound neighbourliness, comprehensive, stable andlong-standing ties between the two countries.

He noted that amid the complicated changes in the world, thetwo sides should continue to maintain and strengthen their friendlyneighbourliness and solidarity, together weather the difficulties, andcoordinate closely with and support each other at multilateral forums.

The two leaders shared the delight at the stable growth ofbilateral cooperation. Last year, two-way trade topped 9.5 billion USD, asurge of nearly 80% year on year. In the first nine months of this year, thefigure hit 8.45 billion USD, up 16.7%.

Currently, 198 Vietnamese-funded projects are operating inCambodia with a total investment of 2.92 billion USD, making Vietnam the biggestinvestors among the ASEAN countries and among the top five largest investors in theneighbouring country. Vietnam is also the country with the highest number of peopletravelling Cambodia.

The two sides agreed to continue to collaborate closely inefficiently implementing existing cooperation agreements and mechanisms indefence and security, while cooperating to complete the border demarcation andborder marker planting activities to build a shared border of peace,friendship, cooperation and long-standing development.

They also pledged to coordinate closely and support eachother at multilateral forums. PM Chinh said that the two sides should work withother ASEAN countries to maintain solidarity and unity as well as the centralrole of the ASEAN in strategic issues, including sea-related ones./.