President To Lam’s state visit to deepen Vietnam-Cambodia relations

The state visit to Cambodia by President To Lam from July 12-13 is expected to consolidate, enhance, and deepen the relationship between Vietnam and its Southeast Asian neighbour.

The visit is made at the invitation of King Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneath Norodom Sihamoni.

Vietnam and Cambodia established diplomatic ties on June 24, 1967, marking a new page in the bilateral ties. Since then, the two countries has remained by the side of each other in their struggles for national liberation and both achieved historic victories in the spring of 1975.

With the support from Vietnam, Cambodian people toppled the Pol Pot genocidal regime on January 7, 1979, opening up a new period for the bilateral friendship and cooperation, with mutual understanding and trust.

In 2005, the two countries’ high-ranking leaders agreed on the new motto for the bilateral relations, that is “good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, and long-term sustainability”. With such orientations, the relationship has been constantly consolidated and developed across spheres, for the sake of the two peoples, and for peace, stability and cooperation in the region and the world.

In the field of politics, Vietnamese and Cambodian high-ranking leaders have maintained their regular visits and contacts in various forms, including the meeting between the Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and the Standing Committee of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) in February 2023, and the high-level meeting between Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and CPP President Samdech Techo Hun Sen and General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith in September the same year.

Notably, in his remarks at the ceremony marking the 47th anniversary of Cambodia’s “journey to overthrow the Pol Pot genocidal regime” (June 20, 1977 - 2024), Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Moha Bovor Thipadei Hun Manet affirmed that generations of Cambodian leaders keep in mind Vietnam’s support in the fight, and stressed the need for young generations to preserve the solidarity and friendship.

Besides, cooperation in national defence and security has been growing more intensively, serving as a firm pillar of the bilateral ties, and significantly contributing to maintaining political and social stability and security in each country, especially their border areas.

Statistics show that the two countries have completed 84% of the border demarcation and marker planting work, and they are working on the rest in order to build a shared borderline of peace, friendship, cooperation, and sustainable development.

Progress has also been made in other areas like economy, culture, science and technology, education, and transport. The two countries have also closely coordinated at international, regional, and sub-regional forums, particularly the United Nations, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and ASEAN-led mechanisms, helping advance each country’s reputation and position in the region and the world at large.

Vietnam is now Cambodia's third largest trade partner in the world, after China and the US, and biggest partner in ASEAN, with two-way trade reaching 8.57 billion USD last year and 4.6 billion USD in the first five months of this year. The value is expected to hit at least 10 billion USD this year, towards the target of 20 billion USD set by the two Prime Ministers during Hun Manet’s Vietnam visit in December 2023.

Regarding investment, Vietnam is running 205 valid projects in the neighbouring country with a total registered capital of 2.94 billion USD, ranking first in ASEAN and among the top five foreign investors in Cambodia.

Cambodia also ranks second among the 79 countries and territories receiving Vietnamese outbound investment.

Meanwhile, Cambodia has 35 valid projects worth nearly 76 million USD Vietnam.

The settlement of legal documents for people of Vietnamese origin in Cambodia has seen progress, making it easier for them to live and work there.

Border provinces have closely cooperated, especially in economy, infrastructure construction, health care, and crime combat.

According to Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyen Huy Tang, the President’s visit, which takes place soon after Lam took office, reaffirms the Vietnamese Party’s and State’s consistent policies and viewpoints of attaching importance to consolidating and strengthening the relations with neighbouring countries, including Cambodia.

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet has expressed his belief that the visit will create new impulses for the bilateral relationship to grow more intensively and comprehensively, while promoting cooperation within multilateral frameworks./.