Phnom Penh (VNA) – Vietnamese Prime Minister PhamMinh Chinh and his Cambodian counterpart Samdech Techo Hun Sen on November 8 affirmedtheir resolve to further consolidate and develop the good neighbourliness,traditional friendship, and comprehensive, sustainable, and long-term cooperationbetween the two countries.

At their talks held in Phnom Penh, PM Chinh, now on an official visit to Cambodia, highlyvalued the contributions and encouraging outcomes by Cambodia as the Chair of ASEANin 2022, saying he believes the country will successfully organise the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits and related summits in the next few days.

Welcoming his guest, PM Hun Sen said the visit holdsgreat significance in 2022 as the countries are celebrating the 55th anniversary of their diplomatic ties.

Both sides expressed their delight at the development of bilateralrelations and noted that despite pandemic-caused difficulties, political anddiplomatic ties have still been reinforced unceasingly through frequenthigh-level meetings and bilateral cooperation mechanisms.

They affirmed their determination to advance the Vietnam -Cambodia relations in an increasingly substantive and effective manner,considering this as an objective and inevitable requirement for both countries.

Agreeing to keep enhancing defence and security ties, the two leaders stressed the principle of not allowing any hostile forces to use the territoryof a country to harm the security and interests of the other. They alsoemphasised their coordination to effectively carry out existing agreements andmechanisms to sustain political stability, security, and social order andsafety in each country; prevent cross-border crimes like human and drugtrafficking; and guarantee cyber security and protect citizens.

PM Chinh thanked Cambodian authorities for working closelywith Vietnam to successfully rescue many Vietnamese citizens lured to Cambodiafor illegal work. He asked the two sides to maintain close coordination tothoroughly deal with this issue.

The two leaders concurred in the continuation of joint effortsto search for and repatriate remains of Vietnam’s volunteer soldiers andexperts who laid down in Cambodia, and to step up the repatriation of remainsof soldiers of the Kampuchean United Front for National Salvation from Vietnam.

Regarding economic partnerships, the PMs noted withsatisfaction that trade and investment have become a bright spot in bilateralties.

Trade between the countries topped 9.5 billion USD in 2021 andreached 8.45 billion USD in the first nine months of this year, respectivelyrising nearly 80% and 16.7% year on year. Bilateral trade is relativelybalanced. Meanwhile, Vietnam has 198 valid investment projects worth 2.92billion USD in Cambodia at present, ranking first among the ASEAN investors andfifth among all foreign investors here.

Theyagreed to boost connecting the two economies in terms of infrastructure as wellas regulations and policies, while assisting each other to build an independentand self-reliant economy in each country and to ensure extensive, intensive, and effectiveintegration into the world.
         
The PMs also underlined the importance of cross-border tradeand cooperation in economic development in border areas and border gate zones. Theyapplauded both sides’ efforts to finalise the Vietnam - Cambodia border tradeagreement to be signed during the visit.

PM Chinh asked the Cambodian Government to create morefavourable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to carry out stable andlong-term investment and business operation in Cambodia on the mutuallybeneficial basis.

In terms of border affairs, they agreed to respect and fullyimplement the border-related agreements signed between the two countries,continue to step up negotiations, make joint efforts to seek proper solutions tothe remaining 16% of land border on which demarcation and marker planting haven’tfinished, and resolve issues emerging in the spirit of solidarity andfriendship, thereby helping build a Vietnam - Cambodia border of peace,stability, and cooperation.

The two were unanimous in continuing to promote partnerships ineducation - training, transport, agriculture - forestry - fisheries, informationand communications, finance - banking, culture, tourism, people-to-people exchange,and sports.

PM Hun Sen thanked Vietnam for its continuation of scholarships granted for Cambodian students and also spoke highly of the fast growingnumbers of Vietnamese and Cambodian tourists to each other’s countries sinceborder reopening.

PM Chinh affirmed Vietnam’s readiness to further shareexperience with and assist Cambodia to successfully organise the 32nd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in 2023.

He also appreciated and called for Cambodia’s continuedattention to and favourable conditions for the Vietnamese-origin community tolive and work stably and legally in the country, integrate into the localsociety, and actively contribute to local socio-economic development.

At the talks, the two Government leaders also discussed someregional and international issues of shared concern. They stressed that amidthe complex and unpredictable global and regional situation, Vietnam andCambodia should enhance coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums,especially within the framework of ASEAN and the Mekong sub-regionalcooperation mechanisms; actively help cement ASEAN’s solidarity and unanimityand promote the bloc’s centrality; and together actively contribute to peace,stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.

They emphasised the importance of ensuring security, safety,and freedom of navigation and overflight; increasing trust building; notthreatening to use or using force; complying with international law; resolvingdisputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law, including the1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); and supportingthe parties concerned to seriously and fully implement the Declaration on theConduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and promote the finalisation of aneffective and substantive code of conduct (COC) in the East Sea that matchesinternational law, including the 1982 UNCLOS.

On this occasion, PM Chinh invited his counterpart to pay anofficial visit to Vietnam at an early date, and PM Hun Sen accepted the invitation withpleasure.

Following the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of11 documents between the two countries./.