[Demographic Vietnamization: Military, Border] Deputy PM Pham Binh Minh gives interview on Vietnam-Cambodia relations

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh

Deputy PM Pham Binh Minh gives interview on Vietnam-Cambodia relations

The friendly relations and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia have been thriving, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said in a recent interview to the press on the occasion of the 50th founding anniversary of Vietnam-Cambodia diplomatic ties.

Vietnam Net Bridge | 26 June 2017

He recalled that on June 23, 1967, President Ho Chi Minh sent a message to Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk highlighting the sound development of the two countries’ neighbourly relations and describing the establishment of the bilateral diplomatic relations as a manifestation of their close friendship and fighting solidarity, and a positive factor in maintaining peace in Indochina and Southeast Asia.

The Deputy PM stressed that the official establishment of Vietnam-Cambodia diplomatic ties on June 24, 1967 was a landmark in both countries’ history and opened up a new chapter in the bilateral relations. 

He went on to say that the two nations’ faithful solidarity and spirit of mutual assistance are the driving force and the strength for their armies and peoples to gain victory over the Pol Pot genocidal regime, revive Cambodia, and develop the bilateral rapports as strong as nowadays.

The achievements that Vietnam and Cambodia have reaped over the past 50 years are not only the victories in their struggle for national liberation but also the development of bilateral relations in all fields, Minh said.

The political ties continue to strengthen with the regular exchange of high-level delegations and effective operation of important cooperation mechanisms such as the Joint Committee and the conference for cooperation and development of border provinces, along with partnerships between ministries, sectors and people-to-people exchanges.

On the basis of treaties and agreements reached by the two countries’ leaders, relevant agencies and authorities and people of border provinces are actively coordinating to implement the land border demarcation and marker planting. 

So far, the two countries have completed over 84 percent of the workload and are resolved to fulfil the remaining as soon as possible to build a shared border line of peace, friendship, cooperation and sustainable development.

High-ranking officials of both nations have also agreed to continue creating favourable conditions for each other’s expatriates.

Along with political ties, the bilateral economic-trade cooperation has been growing.

Currently, Vietnam has 190 investment projects in Cambodia with total registered capital of 2.89 billion USD, mainly focusing on agriculture and forestry. 

Meanwhile, Cambodia’s investment in Vietnam has reached over 58 million USD in 18 projects.

Two-way trade between Vietnam and Cambodia averaged about 3 billion USD a year in recent years and topped 1.68 billion USD in the first five months of 2017. The countries are targeting 5 billion USD in two-way trade in the following years. 

Over the past few years, Vietnam is the largest source market of Cambodia’s tourism with 960,000 visitors in 2016, making up 19 percent of the total number of international arrivals in Cambodia. The same year, Cambodia ranked 13th among Vietnam’s tourism markets with 212,000 visitors.

Vietnam and Cambodia have also bolstered affiliation to other arenas such as training, culture, health, telecommunication, and people-to-people exchanges. 

On the international arena, the two countries have closely coordinated at regional cooperation mechanisms such as the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Triangle Development, Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam (CLMV), and Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS).

Vietnam-Cambodia relations grow in all fields: Ambassador

The fine political relation between Vietnam and Cambodia has created a firm foundation for the strong and comprehensive development of bilateral cooperation, Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Thach Du affirmed in an interview to Cambodia’s Rasmei Kampuchea newspaper.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Thach Du

The daily, Cambodia’s largest Khmer newspaper, published the interview on its front page on June 24 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties. 

Ambassador Du said that in recent years, the two countries have maintained the regular exchange of all-level delegations, in which their senior leaders have confirmed their determination to work together to nurture the time-honoured friendship, solidarity and cooperation.

Regarding border-related issues, he affirmed that with joint efforts, Vietnam and Cambodia have to date completed 84 percent of the work under the agreement on land border demarcation and border marker planting.

The two countries are striving to early fulfil this task in order to turn their shared border into a border line of peace, friendship, cooperation and sustainable development.

In terms of trade, the diplomat highlighted that trade between Vietnam and Cambodia reached nearly 3 billion USD in 2016.

To achieve the mutual target of 5 billion USD in bilateral trade as early as possible, the two countries’ agencies and business communities should step up marketing activities and trade promotion programmes while implementing relevant agreements and initiatives to facilitate operations of both sides’ enterprises.

In the investment field, Vietnam is running nearly 190 projects worth about 2.9 billion USD in numerous fields in Cambodia, ranking among the top five largest investors in the country.

Together with trade and tourism, Vietnamese investment has contributed to Cambodia’s economic development as well as its poverty reduction and social welfare improvement.

To attract more investment from Vietnam and other countries, Ambassador Du suggested the Cambodia Government, especially the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), intensify investment promotion activities, make a list of priority projects calling for foreign investment, and have more preferential policies. 

It is also necessary to strengthen collaboration between the two countries’ agencies in order to create a more stable and transparent investment environment, he added.-

Cambodian top legislator welcomed in Hanoi

Secretary of Hanoi People’s Committee Hoang Trung Hai hosted a reception for President of the National Assembly of Cambodia Samdech Heng Samrin in Hanoi on June 24.

He said the Cambodian NA leader’s visit to Vietnam is significant as it takes place at a time when the two countries are celebrating the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties (June 24, 1967).

The visit is expected to consolidate the sound neighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive, sustainable and long-term cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia, he added.

The official congratulated Cambodian people on their significant achievements gained over years, especially the victory of the Cambodian People’s Party in the recent communal elections. 

He hoped the collaboration between Hanoi and Phnom Penh will be expanded to various fields based on the special traditional friendship between the two countries over the past time.

For his part, Heng Samrin said his current visit demonstrates Cambodia’s wish to reinforce the friendship between the two nations.

He told the host that Cambodia will maintain a stable political environment after the communal elections, which is the foundation for the successful organisation of the Senate and general elections in 2018.

VNA