Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Cambodian counterpart Samdech Techo Hun Sen agreed on various measures to bolster the countries’ multi-faceted relations at their talks in Phnom Penh on April 25.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and his Cambodian counterpart Samdech Techo Hun Sen review the honour guard at the welcome ceremony for the Vietnamese leader on April 25

PM Hun Sen considered the Vietnamese leader’s official visit as having historical significance amid the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties, voicing his belief that the trip will provide a strong momentum for their traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation to thrive.

He spoke highly of Vietnamese investors’ contributions to his country, noting that the military-run telecom group Viettel, the Vietnam Rubber Group, the Electricity of Vietnam Group (EVN) and other businesses of Vietnam have run profitably and fully paid taxes to the Cambodian Government. 

Notably, Metfone-Viettel has paid 400 million USD in taxes over the last decade. They have also contributed to socio-economic development and the care for local people’s material and spiritual life, especially low-income earners and rural residents, he added.

The two PMs agreed to continue promoting trade, services and cooperation between Vietnamese and Cambodian localities, particularly the ones located along the shared borderline. They said locality-to-locality ties have proved fruitful in the spirit of friendship neighbourliness and comprehensive cooperation.

They will order the joint committee for border demarcation and land border marker planting to step up negotiations, seek solutions regarding border sections not demarcated, and work closely in border management, thereby enhancing peace, stability, cooperation and sustainable development along the shared border.

At the talks, the Government leaders valued the outcomes of mutual visits by the countries’ senior leaders and agreed to increase delegation exchanges at all levels.

They vowed to facilitate and seek effective measures to boost partnership in potential areas such as trade-investment, banking, electricity, mining, oil and gas, industrial tree planting, transport, telecommunications, and education-training.

Vietnam and Cambodia will keep close cooperation in security and defence, they said, reiterating the principle of not allowing any hostile forces to use the territory of this country to sabotage the other’s security and the two countries’ friendship and cooperation.

Both sides are set to enhance collaboration to fight terrorism, transnational crimes, smuggling, drug crime and human trafficking. They will also press ahead with the search for and repatriation of the remains of Vietnam’s volunteer soldiers who sacrificed their lives in wars in Cambodia, the PMs added.

At the meeting, they discussed stepping up connections within the framework of ASEAN and the Greater Mekong Subregion. They also exchanged views on international issues of shared concern.

On this occasion, PM Phuc appreciated Cambodia’s provision of good conditions for Vietnamese expatriates, asking the country to take appropriate measures to soon recognise their legal status and Cambodian nationality. He also called on Cambodia to recognise schools managed by Vietnamese-Cambodians there as part of the country’s education system.

In response, PM Hun Sen promised to direct relevant agencies of Cambodia to provide fabourable conditions for Vietnamese-Cambodians to be treated as equally as expatriates of other countries.

Following the meeting, the two PMs witnessed the signing of cooperation documents. 

Vietnam’s Transport Ministry and Cambodia’s Ministry of Public Works and Transport signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation on promoting the study of the construction of Ho Chi Minh City-Moc Bai and Phnom Penh-Ba Vet expressways. Another MoU on building a voluntary rehabilitation centre for drug addicts in Preah Sihanouk province was inked between Vietnam’s Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and Cambodia’s Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation.

The Directorate of Fisheries under the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Fisheries General Department under the Cambodian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries signed an official letter discussing the extension of the MoU on fishery cooperation for another three years.

Meanwhile, the administrations of Hanoi and Phnom Penh signed a MoU on the assistance to the construction of a Phnom Penh-Hanoi friendship avenue.

After the talks, PM Phuc and his spouse laid wreaths at the Independence Monument, the memorial to late King Norodom Sihanouk, and the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Monument in Phnom Penh.

Prime Minister meets Cambodian legislative and religious leaders

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc wishes that the Senate and National Assembly of Cambodia would continue paying attention to increasing the economic, trade and investment ties with Vietnam while meeting the leaders of the two bodies in Phnom Penh on April 25.

At his meetings with President of the Senate Samdech Say Chum and President of the National Assembly Samdech Heng Samrin, PM Phuc delivered his hope that the two legislative bodies will coordinate to push for the early completion of land border demarcation and border marker plantation with Vietnam and make it easier legally for Vietnamese expatriates in Cambodia to lead a stable life and business.

The Cambodian legislative leaders asserted that Cambodian people have never forgotten the heroic sacrifice made by the Vietnamese volunteer soldiers to help them escape the Khmer Rouge’s genocide and rebuild their country.

The two sides agreed to work closely in activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties (June 24), saying the effort will help people of all strata, especially young people, gain a right understanding of the countries’ traditional friendship and solidarity and take responsibility for preserving it.

On the day, PM Phuc paid a New Year visit to the Great Supreme Patriarch Buddhist Monk King Tep Vong, who thanked the PM and Vietnamese people for incessantly assisting Cambodian people to build important facilities, including the freshly-inaugurated Long Binh-Chrey Thom bridge.  

He received President of the Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Association Men Sam An, who is also Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Assembly-Senate Relations and Inspection.

He said the Association has made positive contributions to the two countries’ relations, and has, together with the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association, played an important role in connecting the two people in all areas. 

The Vietnamese Government highly valued the contributions of the Association and its President to the bilateral traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation, he said. 

Men Sam An said she is delighted with the results of PM Phuc’s talks and meetings during the visit, and expressed her hope to receive the governments’ due attention so her association can accomplish the task of bridging Cambodian and Vietnamese people.

Late on the day, Vietnam and Cambodian issued a joint statement on the official visit to Cambodia of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his spouse from April 24-26.

VNA