Vietnamese President To Lam (left) shakes hand with Prime Minister Hun Manet during their July 13 meeting in Phnom Penh. STPM
Cambodian and Vietnamese leaders pledged to strengthen and expand cooperation between the two countries for mutual benefit. A government spokesman confirmed that the Funan Techo Canal – which is set to break ground next month – was not on the agenda during the talks.
“Vietnam and Cambodia will continue to strengthen ties and cooperation based on the spirit of good neighbourliness and similar culture.
“The two countries are committed to strengthening and expanding Vietnam-Cambodia cooperation for the benefit of both peoples and countries,” Vietnamese President To Lam was quoted as saying during a July 13 meeting with Prime Minister Hun Manet, according to a press release by the prime minister.
The Vietnamese president paid his first official visit to the Kingdom from July 12-13.
Government spokesman Pen Bona told The Post on July 15 that Manet and Lam did not discuss the Funan Techo Canal project, which has attracted some criticism in Vietnamese media.
In the release, Manet stated that in the 57 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries, both sides have continued to develop relations and cooperation in all fields. He stressed the need to further strengthen and expand this cooperation.
“The two sides will further enhance high-level exchanges of visits and enhance trade, investment, and energy cooperation through strengthening economic and trade partnerships. This will boost the trade volume between the two countries to its full potential and further encourage economic activity within the government and the private sector,” it said.
The two leaders pledged to expand defence and security cooperation to contribute to maintaining peace, stability and development in the Cambodia-Vietnam border provinces, as well as increased intelligence sharing to prevent border crimes such as human trafficking, the drug trade and online fraud.
The two sides vowed to expand people-to-people exchanges and connectivity, with a focus on continuing to provide scholarships and training to students and civil servants, promote tourism and expand direct flights, as well as connecting Infrastructure, such as the Phnom Penh-Bavet Expressway and Ho Chi Minh City-Moc Bai, Vietnam’s corresponding border crossing with Bavet.
Regarding border issues, the two sides still consider land border demarcation as a priority and will continue discussions to finalise demarcation.
Thong Mengdavid, a lecturer at the Royal University of Phnom Penh’s Institute for International Studies, believed that Cambodia and Vietnam would continue to promote good neighbourly policies and support each other in security, socio-economic and cultural cooperation.
He said Lam’s visit to Cambodia reflects the strength of their bilateral ties, adding that Vietnam will continue to promote the exchange of people and students between the two countries, as well as investment, trade and tourism activities.
“Cambodia and Vietnam should also work together to address issues such as border and regional security and cooperate in ASEAN affairs to ensure regional peace, stability and prosperity for the common good of the people,” Mengdavid told The Post on July 15.
