Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) and Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam has always treasured and prioritised the promotionof economic cooperation with Cambodia for the benefit of their people andbusinesses, and to support the development goals of each nation, Prime MinisterNguyen Xuan Phuc has said.
PM Phuc made the statement on December 7 while holding talks with CambodianPrime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen who has been on an official visit toVietnam from December 6-8.
Congratulating PM Hun Sen and the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) ontheir victory in the election of the sixth National Assembly, PM Phuc said thatthe Cambodian leader’s visit plays an important role in consolidating and creatingimpetus for bilateral relations.
Asserting the importance of consolidating friendship and solidarity on thebasis of mutual trust, benefits, understanding, and respect to maintain apeaceful and stable environment, the two leaders agreed to organise grandceremonies in both nations to mark the 40th anniversary of Cambodia’s victoryover the genocidal regime (January 7, 1979-2019).
They expressed delight at the sound development of the bilateral relations overthe recent years, with the regular exchange of meetings and visits by high-levelleaders, sectors, and border-sharing localities.
Two-way trade has made giant strides in 2018, which is estimated at 4.5 billionUSD for the whole year. Vietnam continues to be one of the top ten investors inthe neighbouring country, registering over 3 billion USD in more than 200projects. Vietnam is the second biggest source of international visitors toCambodia with over 500,000 arrivals.
PM Phuc suggested accelerating the implementation of a framework agreement onconnecting the two economies signed in 2017, giving due attention to enhancingcooperation in transport, tourism, telecommunications, and banking, amongothers; as well as putting model border markets in Da commune in Menot districtof Cambodia’s Tbong Khmum province into use soon.
Both leaders demanded positive coordination to match Cambodia’s“Quadrangle-Development Strategy” with Vietnam’s ability and strengths, whilecalling for efforts to outline rational policies to increase Vietnameseinvestments in Cambodia and vice versa.
The two sides applauded efforts made by Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry andTrade and Cambodia’s Ministry of Commerce to complete negotiations on theBorder Trade Agreement and sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in recognitionof the results. They expressed their belief that the two countries will reachthe target of 5 billion USD by 2020.
The leaders agreed to enhance cooperation in education-training,agro-forestry-aquaculture, culture-arts and people-to-people exchange.
PM Hun Sen thanked Vietnam for its provision of scholarships to Cambodianstudents and government personnel to pursue studies in Vietnam, stressing thathis country’s development over the last 40 years cannot be separated from theclose cooperation and assistance of the Vietnamese Government and people.
They reached a consensus on shaping the bilateral relations under the motto of“good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, and comprehensive cooperationand long-term sustainability”, adding that ties will be deepened via visits andexchange of delegations at all levels, as well as the existing 22 dialogue andcooperation mechanisms.
Furthermore, the two PMs were unanimous in enhancing the efficiency ofdefence-security cooperation, pursuing the principle of not letting hostileforces use their countries’ territories to harm the other nation’s security, andjoining hands in preventing all kinds of crime to ensure peace and security ineach nation.
The two leaders agreed to continue tackling remaining issues in the spirit offriendship and mutual understanding, and strive to sign two documents toofficially legalise 84 percent of the border demarcation and marker planting-related work in 2019, towards building a borderline of peace, friendship,cooperation, and development between the two countries.
They said the two sides will work closely together to assure the legal status,as well as support and create favourable conditions for Vietnamese-Cambodiansto have stable lives in Cambodia, thus contributing to its socio-economicdevelopment and becoming an effective bridge for bilateral relations.
Regarding regional and global issues, the two leaders agreed on the importanceto maintain peace, security, and stability in the region, affirming that the twocountries will coordinate closely to continue building and developing the ASEAN Community, upholding ASEAN principles, consolidatingsolidarity, and enhancing self-reliance and the central role of ASEAN.
They also pledged to promote cooperation within theCambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle and the Greater Mekong Sub-region tonarrow the development gap and sustainably manage and use Mekong waterresources, towards completing UN sustainable development goals.
In the immediate future, the two countries will closely coordinate together in2020 when Vietnam will takes over the ASEAN Chairmanship and Cambodia will hostthe ASEM Summit.
Immediately after the talks, the PMs witnessed the signing of five cooperationdocuments, including a government-level MoU on Vietnam-Cambodia TransportCooperation Strategy for 2018-2025 with a vision to 2030; MoUs on the completion of negotiations of theborder trade agreement and education cooperation; the minutes on the completionof 84 percent of the border demarcation and marker planting work in the field and future plans for the work; and an agreement onthe implementation of a project using Vietnam’s non-refundable aid capital forCambodia to build a number of items in the community-based voluntary drugdetoxification centre project in Preah Sihanouk province.
Afterwards, PM Phuc and his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen held a joint pressconference.–VNA
VNA
