Vietnam, Cambodia hold high-level talks

During the talks in Hanoi on December 7, PM Phuc congratulated PM Hun Sen and the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) on their victory in the election of the sixth National Assembly and highlighted the Cambodian leader’s visit as fresh impetus for stronger bilateral ties.

Underlining the importance of fostering friendship and solidarity on the basis of mutual trust, benefits, understanding, and respect to maintain a peaceful and stable environment, the two PMs consented to hold grand ceremonies in their respective country to mark the 40th anniversary of Cambodia’s victory over the genocidal regime (1979-2019).

They showed their elation at the vigorous growth of bilateral relations over recent years, as evidenced by the regular exchange of meetings and visits by senior leaders, sectors, and border-sharing localities.

Two-way trade has steadily progressed in 2018, which is estimated at US$4.5 billion for the whole year. Vietnam remains one of the top ten investors in Cambodia, injecting upwards US$3 billion into more than 200 projects. Vietnam is the second biggest source of international visitors to the neighbouring country with more than 500,000 arrivals.

The two leaders called for closer coordination to match Cambodia’s “Quadrangle-Development Strategy” with Vietnam’s ability and strengths as well as efforts to formulate proper policies to intensify Vietnamese investments in Cambodia and vice versa.

They hailed the efforts made by Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade and Cambodia’s Ministry of Commerce to finalize negotiations on the Border Trade Agreement and sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in recognition of the outcomes. The two sides showed their confidence that the two countries’ bilateral trade will reach the target of US$5 billion and beyond by 2020.

The duo concurred to step up cooperation in education-training, agro-forestry-aquaculture, culture-arts and people-to-people exchange. 

PM Phuc suggested speeding up the implementation of a framework agreement on connecting the two economies signed in 2017 with a particular focus on stronger cooperation in transport, tourism, telecommunications, and banking, among others, as well as putting model border markets in Da commune in Menot district of Cambodia’s Tbong Khmum province into operation soon.

They were of the same mind about major orientations for fostering bilateral relations under the motto of “good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, and comprehensive cooperation and long-term sustainability” while affirming their resolve to deepen political ties through the exchange of visits and delegations at all levels, as well as the existing 22 dialogue and cooperation mechanisms.

PM Hun Sen thanked Vietnam for providing scholarships to Cambodian students and government personnel to pursue studies in Vietnam, emphasizing that his country’s development over the past 40 years is inseparable from the close cooperation and assistance of the Vietnamese Government and people. 

The two government leaders underlined the need to improve the efficiency of defence-security cooperation, pursue the principle of not letting hostile forces use their countries’ territories to harm the other nation’s security, and join hands in preventing all kinds of crime to ensure peace and security in each country.

They agreed to continue dealing with remaining issues in the spirit of friendship and mutual understanding, and strive to sign two documents to officially legalize 84% 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 pledged their best efforts to assure the legal status, support and offer favourable conditions for Vietnamese-Cambodians to enjoy stable lives in Cambodia as a contribution to its socio-economic development and serving as an effective bridge for closer bilateral ties. 

With regard to regional and global issues, the two leaders stressed the importance of maintaining peace, security, and stability in the region, affirming the two countries’ close coordination to continue building and developing the ASEAN Community, upholding ASEAN principles, reinforcing solidarity, and enhancing self-reliance and the central role of ASEAN. 

They also vowed to augment cooperation within the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle and the Greater Mekong Sub-region to narrow the development gap and sustainably manage and use Mekong water resources, towards completing UN sustainable development goals.

In the immediate future, the two countries will work hand in hand in 2020 when Vietnam will assume the ASEAN Chairmanship and Cambodia will host the ASEM Summit.

Following the talks, both leaders witnessed the signing of five cooperation documents, including a government-level MoU on Vietnam-Cambodia Transport Cooperation Strategy for 2018-2025 with a vision to 2030,  MoUs on the completion of negotiations of the border trade agreement and education cooperation, the minutes on the completion of 84 % of the border demarcation and marker planting work in the field and future plans for the work, and an agreement on the implementation of a project using Vietnam’s non-refundable aid capital for Cambodia to build a number of items in the community-based voluntary drug detoxification centre project in Preah Sihanouk province.