Phnom Penh (VNA) – General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam will lead a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation on a State visit to Cambodia on February 6, which is expected to open a new chapter and further deepen and tighten the friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.
Speaking to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s correspondents ahead of the visit, Dr. Seun Sam, a policy analyst at the Royal Academy of Cambodia (RAC), described the visit as an extremely significant event that reflects the elevated level of relations between the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and the CPV, as well as between the two nations.
Notably, this is one of the very first overseas trips since General Secretary Lam was re-elected as the Party chief, underscoring Vietnam’s high priority for its relationship with Cambodia. This is fully in line with the long-standing guiding principle of “good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation and long-term sustainability” in the bilateral ties.
According to the analyst, the visit is expected to make an important contribution to enhancing mutual trust and understanding. It is anticipated to further promote cooperation in key areas such as economy and trade, infrastructure connectivity, culture, defence and border affairs, delivering practical benefits to both countries' people. At the same time, it will help strengthen coordination at regional and international levels, including within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), thereby contributing to peace, stability and sustainable development in Southeast Asia.
Dr. Seun Sam also highlighted the special significance of Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni’s scheduled reception and meeting with General Secretary Lam during the visit. This, he said, will further deepen the warmth and elevate the value of bilateral relations, which are built on a solid foundation of historical friendship and comprehensive cooperation.
“I firmly believe that this visit will open a new chapter, further consolidating and strengthening Cambodia–Vietnam relations, bringing tangible benefits to the people of both countries and contributing to the process of peaceful development and shared prosperity,” he stressed.
According to a press release issued on February 2 by the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) Central Committee, the ruling party of Cambodia will host three high-level meetings this week. These include a bilateral high-level meeting between the CPP Central Committee's Standing Committee, led by its President Hun Sen, and the CPV Central Committee’s Politburo, headed by General Secretary Lam.
Dr. Seun Sam noted that this high-level meeting, held within the framework of the Vietnamese Party leader’s State visit, is of profound importance, especially when the CPV’s 14th National Congress has been concluded successfully and General Secretary Lam was re-elected.
For its part, the CPP has expressed its warm congratulations and strong support for the outcomes of the CPV’s 14th National Congress, both through congratulatory messages and by dispatching a high-ranking delegation to Vietnam. The upcoming high-level meeting, Dr. Seun Sam said, is not merely a continuation of routine exchanges, but a clear demonstration of the firm determination of senior leaders of both sides to maintain and further strengthen the bilateral relations through Party and State channels, in line with the shared guiding principle.
Looking ahead, the Cambodian analyst emphasised that the meeting will focus on concrete cooperation in strategic areas such as economy and trade, infrastructure, road connectivity, energy and digital transformation, border area development, defence and security, as well as joint responses to shared challenges including water resource management and climate change. At the regional level, he underlined that strong Cambodia–Vietnam relations are a key factor in maintaining peace, stability and sustainable development in Southeast Asia, while enhancing cooperation within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to address global challenges.
From this perspective, Dr. Seun Sam expressed firm belief that the upcoming high-level meetings will not only reaffirm the historical friendship and long-term commitment of the two Parties and neighbouring countries, but also usher in a new phase in which Cambodia–Vietnam relations grow ever deeper, stronger and more substantive, making an important contribution to peace, stability and shared prosperity in Southeast Asia./.
