Prime Minister Hun Manet recalled how Cambodia aided Vietnam’s liberation, which led to national cohesion and growth, and how Vietnam also helped Cambodia in liberating itself from the Khmer Rouge regime and fostering the country’s development.

“The leaders of our two countries, Cambodia and Vietnam, have always said [the two countries] have a history of helping each other in gaining independence from colonial rule.

“The Cambodian leadership and its people assisted Vietnam in its cause for national liberation, which led to national unification and development. Vietnamese leaders and people helped Cambodia in its struggle for liberation from the genocidal regime led by Pol Pot, as well as in the reconstruction and development of the country,” he said.

During the commemoration of the 47th anniversary of the journey to overthrow the genocidal Pol Pot regime in Tbong Khmum province on June 20, the prime minister stated that the historical events surrounding this must be clearly understood by the people of both countries, to avoid any confusion stemming from interpretations that lack a genuine historical basis.

“We will always remember the participation of Vietnamese volunteers and experts who helped Cambodia in the cause of national liberation. A clear understanding of history is an important task for each country, as well as for country-to-country relations,” Manet said.

He thanked the Vietnamese government and people’s army for supporting the achievements that have transformed the battlefield into an historical area for the future, attracting tourism, economic growth and cultural exchange to the border with peace, friendship, cooperation and development.

inYang Peou, secretary-general of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said the two countries, both individually and collectively in Indochina, had an indisputable common history during the modern era, adding that from the time of French colonial rule, the states of Indochina were intertwined.

“Cambodia and Vietnam really helped each other, and we especially saw the territorial unity of Vietnam on April 30, 1975. Before [that] unity, Cambodia had helped Vietnam a great deal … Later, Vietnam also helped Cambodia in liberating itself from Democratic Kampuchea,” he said.

He added that politicians must recognise this matter, avoiding one-sided advantages that lead to creating extremist nationalist political movements, saying that they must evaluate and see the merits of both.

He said that the two countries with a shared border must build trust to ensure their boundaries are truly peaceful and friendly, allowing people to live along the border in harmony and avoiding the formation of extremist nationalist movements that lead to further political crises.

“In the past, Cambodian politicians, as well as some Vietnamese politicians, used and pushed nationalist currents, creating tension in their respective political spheres.

“Such methods or politics should not be used anymore, as they lead to internal political problems and hostility in relations,” Peou said.