Cambodian PM’s Vietnam visit hoped to further advance bilateral relations

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) meets his Cambodian counterpart Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet on the occasion of the ASEAN - Gulf Cooperation Council (ASEAN - GCC) Summit in Saudi Arabia on October 20, 2023. (Photo: VNA)

Phnom Penh (VNA) – The official visit to Vietnam from December 11-12 by Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet is expected to contribute to lifting Vietnam-Cambodia relations to a new height, Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyen Huy Tang said in an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s resident correspondent in Phnom Penh.

The diplomat highlighted the significance and importance of the visit, saying that it will contribute to further tightening and deepening the good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation and long-term sustainability between the two countries on the basis of equality, mutual benefit, effective cooperation and respect for each other's interests.

He also spotlighted the fruitful development of the traditional friendship and cooperation between the two countries, saying that the Vietnam-Cambodia relations have been tested, and developed practically across fields, becoming a valuable common asset of their people.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyen Huy Tang. (Photo: VNA) 

Achievements of the relations over the last 56 years have contributed positively to the development of each country, thereby helping to further advance the bilateral relationship, he said.

Regarding the results of the bilateral cooperation after the COVID-19 pandemic, Tang said both nations have made great efforts to effectively control the pandemic and soon resumed bilateral and multilateral diplomatic activities.

According to the ambassador, the two sides carried out a series of activities to celebrate the 55th founding anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2022. This year, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet had a series of meetings with senior Vietnamese leaders at international forums and conferences. Bilateral mechanisms have been also maintained.

The two countries have also paid heed to stepping up economic, trade and investment cooperation, resulting in the constantly growing two-way trade, the diplomat stressed.

Two-way trade between Vietnam and Cambodia hit 10.57 billion USD in 2022, and 7.1 billion USD in the first 10 months of 2023. The figure is predicted to reach about 9 billion USD in 2023.
 
Tang added that there remains ample room and potential for both sides to enhance tourism cooperation as the field has witnessed robust growth with over 880,000 Vietnamese tourists visiting Cambodia and over 300,000 Cambodians travelling to Vietnam in the first 10 months of 2023./.

VNA