HCM City (VNA) ꦐ– The Vietnamese Party, State and people always treasure and give high priority to consolidating and developing the good neighborliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation and long-term sustainability with their Cambodian counterparts, said General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam.

At a high-level meeting between the Political Bureau of the CPV, and the Standing Committee of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) co-chaired by General Secretary To Lam, and CPP President and President of the Cambodian Senate Hun Sen in Ho Chi Minh City on February 21, the two sides shared updates on the situation in their respective Parties and countries, and exchanged views on the regional and world situation, and issues of shared concern. They also reviewed cooperation achievements in recent times and agreed on key directions to further strengthen the bilateral ties. The two Party leaders spoke highly of the deepening all-around cooperation between the two Parties, States and people of Vietnam and Cambodia, thus contributing to socio-economic development and elevating each country’s prestige and position in the region and the world. Hun Sen commended the CPV led by General Secretary To Lam for its drastic restructuring of organisational apparatus at various levels, considering it an invaluable lesson for Cambodia to study. He also underscored the importance of educating both countries’ younger generations about the historical significance of the bilateral relations and the long-standing solidarity and friendship between their Parties, States and people. The two Party chiefs described the solidarity and mutual support between the two Parties and nations as an objective necessity and a historical rule, representing one of the greatest sources of strength, which are vital to the revolutionary cause and the process of national construction and defence of both Parties and nations. They are an invaluable asset of both nations that need to be protected, nurtured and passed to future generations, they stressed. They agreed to further strengthen political relations as a guide for the overall ties between the two Parties and countries, to foster close relations between the two countries' leaders, to effectively implement high-level agreements, and to enhance bilateral cooperation in defence, security, economy, trade, culture, education, and tourism in alignment with each country’s potential and strengths.

Additionally, they committed to deepening practical and effective collaboration between their Party, parliamentary, government agencies, mass organisations, and localities, aiming to leave a significant mark on bilateral relations in the new phase of development for the benefit of the two countries' people. At the meeting, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Cambodian counterpart Hun Manet endorsed the key assessments and directions outlined by Party General Secretary Lam and CPP President Hun Sen regarding the deep and comprehensive ties between the two Parties and nations. They also reviewed progress in implementing the conclusions of the two Parties' 2023 high-level meeting across various cooperation fields, including politics-diplomacy, defence-security, economy, education, legal frameworks, and culture-tourism. The two leaders candidly pointed out existing challenges and agreed on key priorities for early implementation, particularly initiatives to enhance economic connectivity between Vietnam and Cambodia, as well as among Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos./.