Phnom Penh (VNA)𝕴 – The ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) has celebrated its 65th founding anniversary (June 28, 1951) with a grand ceremony in Phnom Penh in the presence of some 10,000 Party members and supporters.

The ceremony on June 28 was attended by Cambodian Prime Minister and CPP President Hun Sen, President of the Cambodian National Assembly and Honorary President of the CPP Heng Samrin, other senior CPP officials, and representatives of the CPP’s allied parties. Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Thach Du took part in the event and handed over a bouquet of flowers from General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong to Hun Sen and Heng Samrin. In his speech, PM and CPP President Hun Sen said over the last 65 years, the CPP has stood side by side with the Cambodian people to weather numerous difficulties through different historical periods, such as the fight against colonialism for national independence, and, especially, the struggle to liberate the country from the Khmer Rouge’s genocidal regime. With the victory against the Khmer Rouge on January 7, 1979, Cambodia heralded a new era of independence, freedom, democracy and social development, he stressed. Since its establishment, the CPP has reinforced and expanded itself to meet the nation’s demands. It has won support of the majority of the Cambodian people in the elections since 1993, and become the key political force in the country, Hun Sen said. He also defied the opinion that Cambodia’s politics is in a crisis, adding that only some opposition leaders committing law violations have to face punishments. He noted that in 2016, Cambodia expects a 7.1 percent growth rate and an inflation rate of less than 1.9 percent. Export revenue is set to be higher than import turnover. Meanwhile, per capita income will rise from 1,215 USD in 2015 to 1,301 USD this year. The CPP completely supports the Royal Government in pushing ahead with the Rectangular Strategy phase III, the development plan for 2014 – 2018, and reform policies, so as to achieve an annual economic growth rate of some 7 percent, reduce poverty, and provide more jobs. The CPP will also continue dialogues with the opposition party and other parties to create a healthy political environment for the communal election in 2017 and the parliamentary election in 2018, Hun Sen said. The PM and CPP President also took this chance to thank other countries, foreign partners and international organisations for their valuable contributions to Cambodia’s development. He also voiced his hope for their stronger cooperation with his nation to ensure peace, democracy and development.-VNA