Receiving FM Son, Prime Minister Hun Sen expressed his satisfaction at the recent positive and comprehensive development of the Vietnam-Cambodia relations in all fields, from politics, security and defense to education - training, culture, science - technology, people-to-people exchanges, as well as cooperation between border provinces of the two countries.
Despite the impact of the prolonged COVID-19 outbreak, he said the two-way trade turnover in 2021 still increased by nearly 80% compared to 2020.
Hun Sen suggested that the two foreign ministries continue to work closely together to effectively implement the reached high-level agreements, and at the same time to actively consult with relevant agencies to contribute to solving existing problems.
The two foreign ministries should coordinate closely in organizing activities during the Vietnam-Cambodia, Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Year 2022 to celebrate 55 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries, said the Cambodian PM.
For his part, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son congratulated the important achievements Cambodia has recorded in recent years, and expressed his belief that Cambodia will continue to obtain even greater development achievements, successfully organize the 5th local council election, and well host its ASEAN Chair 2022.
Vietnam supports Cambodia’s ASEAN Chair in 2022 and is ready to join Cambodia and other ASEAN countries in realizing the bloc’s agenda, including promoting the implementation of ASEAN’s 5-point consensus on Myanmar, said Son.
He affirmed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam will actively coordinate with relevant ministries, sectors and localities of the two countries to effectively implement agreements as well as the minutes of the 19th session of the Joint Committee on Bilateral Cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia.
Minister Son expressed his hope that PM Hun Sen will continue to facilitate Vietnamese businesses’ operations in Cambodia, especially in the fields of agriculture, telecommunications, and banking; as well as to create conditions for the two countries’ goods to access each other’s markets.
He also proposed that the Cambodian Government create more favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in Cambodia to overcome difficulties, stabilize life, integrate well and make contributions to socio-economic development of Cambodia as well as the relationship between the two countries.
Minister Son respectfully reiterated the invitation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Vietnamese senior leaders to invite Prime Minister Hun Sen to pay an official visit to Vietnam in 2022.
PM Hun Sen also conveyed his invitation to PM Pham Minh Chinh to visit Cambodia at a convenient time.
