At the invitation of Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Pham Minh Chinh, Samdech Moha Bovor Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, paid an official visit to Vietnam from December 11 to 12, 2023. This is Prime Minister Hun Manet's first official visit to Vietnam in his new position. Taking place in the context of the good neighborly relations, traditional friendship, comprehensive and long-term sustainable cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia continuing to develop positively, the visit contributes to strengthening political trust and promoting cooperation between the two countries to become more substantive and effective.
DEVELOPMENT GOALS OF THE COUNTRY OF PAGODAS
Continuing the achievements in national construction and development, in 2023, Cambodia achieved many great and comprehensive achievements. Cambodia successfully held the election of the 7th National Assembly on July 23 and then established the National Assembly and Government for the 2023-2028 term last August.
The Cambodian National Assembly elections were held safely, freely and fairly, with a high voter turnout. The Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) won the election, with 120/125 seats in the National Assembly. This result demonstrates the Cambodian voters’ trust in the country’s future development, as well as continuing to affirm the role and position of the CPP.
CPP's election campaign convoy on the streets of Phnom Penh, July 2023. Photo: VNA
Aiming to become an upper-middle-income country by 2030 and a high-income country by 2050, the new Cambodian government led by Prime Minister Hun Manet is actively implementing the Pentagon Strategy with five core priorities, including: human resource development; economic diversification and competitiveness enhancement; private sector development and employment; sustainable development; and digital socio-economic development.
The transition to a market economy since 1993 has been an important achievement in Cambodia's economic development. From 2012 to before the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, Cambodia's GDP growth averaged over 7% per year. Despite being affected by the pandemic, after officially reopening at the end of 2021, Cambodia's economy has shown positive signs of recovery. In 2022, trade turnover reached 52.43 billion USD, an increase of 9.19% compared to 2021; economic growth was at 5.2%. In the first half of 2023, Cambodia's total trade turnover reached 23.69 billion USD. In the first 7 months of this year, the country of pagodas attracted more than 3 million international tourists. Cambodia's economic growth in 2023 is estimated at about 5.5%.
Mr. Hun Manet speaks at the meeting after being trusted by the National Assembly to hold the position of Prime Minister of the Royal Government of Cambodia for the 7th term. Photo: AKP/VNA
In terms of foreign affairs, Cambodia has established diplomatic relations with more than 170 countries and has trade relations with about 150 countries and territories around the world. Cambodia focuses on relations with major countries, donor countries, neighbors, and promotes regional and international integration. Cambodia is a member of many international, regional and sub-regional organizations, forums, and cooperation mechanisms, such as the United Nations, ASEAN, the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Asia-Europe Cooperation Forum (ASEM), the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle (CLV), the Mekong River Commission (MRC), etc.
Under the leadership of the Government headed by Prime Minister Hun Manet, Cambodia will achieve many important achievements in building a peaceful, stable and prosperous country with an increasingly high role and position in the region and the world.
On the occasion of attending the ASEAN-GCC Summit in Saudi Arabia, on October 20, 2023, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet. Photo: VNA
RESULTS OF COMPREHENSIVE COOPERATION
Vietnam and Cambodia are two neighboring countries, both located in the lower Mekong River region. The two countries have always stood side by side in the cause of national liberation, national unification, as well as in the construction of the country today.
With the motto of “good neighbors, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, long-term sustainability” , the relationship between the two countries is constantly consolidated and developed, bringing practical benefits to the people of the two countries.
Vietnam-Cambodia relations have continued to develop extensively and achieved many important achievements in many fields. Political relations have been maintained firmly, playing a core role in guiding the relationship between the two countries.
On the occasion of attending the 43rd ASEAN Summit and related summits, on September 5, 2023, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had a working breakfast with Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet. Photo: VNA
The two countries' senior leaders maintained visits, contacts and exchanges in various forms. The two sides successfully organized a meeting between the Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Standing Committee of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP). Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos jointly organized a high-level meeting between the three leaders of the three parties in Hanoi, and a working breakfast between the three prime ministers of the three countries on the occasion of attending the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Indonesia.
Relations between ministries, sectors and localities of the two countries have been maintained. Important bilateral cooperation mechanisms, such as the Joint Committee on Economic, Cultural, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, the Conference on Cooperation and Development of Border Provinces, etc., have been held periodically and continue to be effective. Thereby, cooperation between the two countries in various fields has increasingly deepened.
In the spirit of frank, cordial and friendly exchanges, at the meetings and contacts, the two countries’ senior leaders informed each other about the situation in each country, as well as expressed their joy at the positive developments in the Vietnam-Cambodia relationship. This was an opportunity for the two sides to strengthen political trust and discuss directions to further improve the effectiveness of cooperation within both bilateral and multilateral frameworks.
On the afternoon of April 7, 2023, at the Government Office, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Cambodia Chea Kimtha on the occasion of starting his term in Vietnam. Photo: VNA
Cooperation in the fields of defense and security between the two countries continues to be promoted, becoming increasingly close and substantive, contributing to maintaining political stability and development in each country.
Vietnam and Cambodia have a land border of 1,258km. In order to promote the building of a border of peace, friendship, cooperation and sustainable development, the two sides have signed two legal documents recognizing the achievements of demarcation and marker planting of about 84% of the land border and are working to negotiate to resolve the remaining 16%.
Economic, trade and investment cooperation is a bright spot in bilateral relations. Vietnam is currently Cambodia's third largest trading partner and Cambodia's largest trading partner in ASEAN. In 2022, bilateral trade turnover reached 10.57 billion USD, an increase of about 10.88% over the same period in 2021. In the first 10 months of 2023, two-way trade turnover reached 7.1 billion USD.
Vietnam ranks first in ASEAN and is among the top five countries with the largest direct investment in Cambodia. To date, Vietnam has 205 valid investment projects in Cambodia with a total registered capital of 2.94 billion USD.
The achievements in trade and investment cooperation between the two countries have contributed significantly to the economic growth of each country. Both sides agreed that there is still much room to further strengthen economic cooperation.
The 20th meeting of the Vietnam-Cambodia Joint Committee on Economic, Cultural, Scientific and Technical Cooperation took place on March 21, 2023. Photo: dangcongsan.vn
Cooperation areas such as education, training, transportation, culture, health, telecommunications, etc. are also of interest to the two countries and are being promoted. Every year, Vietnam grants hundreds of long-term scholarships to Cambodian students to study in Vietnam and the number of Vietnamese students studying in Cambodia is increasing. Vietnam regularly organizes volunteer medical teams to provide free medical examinations and treatment and medicine to the Cambodian people.
In order to continue the achievements in the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Year 2022, commemorating the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the two sides have strengthened the connection between the two peoples to foster friendship. People's diplomacy activities of the fronts, friendship parliamentarian groups, friendship associations, mass organizations and people of the two countries, especially in the border provinces, have taken place vigorously and widely, contributing to raising the understanding of the people, especially the young generation, about the tradition of solidarity, friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance between the people of the two countries.
At international, regional and sub-regional forums, especially the United Nations, ASEAN and ASEAN-led mechanisms, the two countries closely coordinate, actively contributing to peace, stability and cooperation in the region and the world, while also helping to enhance the prestige and position of each country in the international arena.
“I believe that Prime Minister Hun Manet’s visit to Vietnam this time will make a very important contribution to further strengthening the relationship of ‘good neighborliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, long-term sustainability’ between the two countries, going deeper and deeper, on the basis of equality, mutual benefit, effective cooperation, respect for each other’s interests, bringing the Vietnam-Cambodia relationship to a new height.” Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyen Huy Tang
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet. Photo: VNA
Since assuming his new position, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has had many direct meetings with senior Vietnamese leaders on the occasion of attending regional and international conferences and forums. Prime Minister Hun Manet's first official visit to Vietnam after Cambodia established its Government demonstrates Cambodia's appreciation for the good neighborly relationship, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, and long-term sustainability between the two countries.
Vietnam believes that the Government led by Prime Minister Hun Manet will continue to build a peaceful, stable and prosperous Cambodia with an increasingly enhanced role and position in the region and the world. The invitation for Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet to pay an official visit continues to affirm Vietnam's consistent policy of always attaching importance to and wishing to further consolidate and deepen relations with Cambodia.
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