VN, Cambodia strengthen links

4th November, 2008

HA NOI — The Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Hun Sen, is on an official visit to Viet Nam today and tomorrow to re-inforce traditional friendship and comprehensive co-operation between the two neighbours.

The Cambodian PM is making the visit at the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart, Nguyen Tan Dung.

The two PMs will discuss measures to boost co-operation in all fields, particularly the economy, trade and investment; accelerate land-border demarcation and placing markers; and promote co-ordination at regional and multilateral forums.

The first visit of PM Hun Sen during his fourth term (September 2008-2013) is in the context of growing bilateral relations under the motto "best neighbourliness, traditional friendship and comprehensive and long-lasting co-operation".

The two countries have witnessed a number of exchange visits by high-level delegations. After his coronation in October, 2004, the Cambodian King, Norodom Siha-moni, twice visited Viet Nam, first in March, 2006, and again in June, 2008.

Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet visited Cambodia last February.

The two sides convened the fourth meeting on co-operation and development of their border provinces in February this year, and the 10th session of the Joint Commission for Economic, Cultural and Scientific-Technological Co-operation in October this year. The two countries have enjoyed significant progress in economic, trade and investment co-operation. Two-way trade has increased from US$180 million in 2000 to almost $1.2 billion last year. The target is $2 billion by 2010.

Viet Nam’s investment in Cambodia reached the $100 million last year.

Co-operation in education and training, energy, health care, transport, and national security and defence have advanced considerably.

The two sides have enjoyed a good working relationship in dealing with issues related to the border line and border security and order, and have agreed to complete the demarcation and marker plantation project by 2012.

The two countries have also worked to increase co-operation within a number of regional organisations, such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and other regional and international co-operation mechanisms, including the Mekong River Commission (MRC), the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS), the East-West Economic Corridor Development Programme (EWEC), and the Ayeyawady-Chao Praya-Mekong Economic Co-operation Strategy (ACMECS). — VNS