Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh made the statement on March 4 during a reception in Hanoi for Cambodian Minister of the Interior Cambodia Samdech Krolahom Sar Kheng who is on a visit to the country.
During the course of the meeting, PM Chinh noted with satisfaction the positive outcomes of talks held between Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Samdech Krolahom Sar Kheng and Minister of Public Security To Lam, contributing to solidifying the conclusion of the Politburo meeting of the two parties held on February 18.
The Vietnamese Government chief used the occasion to congratulate the Cambodian side on their tremendous achievements recorded over the years, most recently in its efforts to control COVID-19 pandemic and inflation, maintain economic growth, competently perform its role as ASEAN Chair in 2022, as well as successfully organising the elections of the commune and ward councils for the fifth tenure in June, 2022.
PM Chinh affirmed that over recent years, despite the complicated and unpredictable international situation, a strong sense of neighbourliness, traditional friendship, as well as comprehensive and long-term sustainable co-operation between Vietnam and Cambodia have continued to be reinforced.
He suggested that the Ministry of Interior of the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam continue to intensify the fight of joint special cases for all types of crimes, especially transnational ones such as criminal and drug crimes, along with targeting human traffickers.
This should be done by combating fraud involving rings and gambling organisations who use Cambodia to operate, as well as boosting ties in rescuing and repatriating Vietnamese citizens who are detained or forced to work in illegal gambling establishments in the neighbouring country.
PM Chinh also thanked Deputy PM Kheng and Cambodian leaders for directing relevant agencies to create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community to conduct business and enjoy a stable life in Cambodia by handling legal documents for Vietnamese people in the host nation.
At the reception (Photo:VGP)
The Vietnamese Government leader said he wishes that Cambodia will move to adopt a policy aimed at supporting Cambodians of Vietnamese origin who are subject to relocation and resettlement, thereby offering optimal conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to change careers through recruitment into investment projects there.
Many important events will take place in Cambodia this year, including the seventh National Assembly election, the 32nd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 32), and the ASEAN Para Games, he said, adding that in its capacity, the Vietnamese Government is ready to offer support and share experience with Cambodia in successfully organising these events.
For his part, Deputy PM Kheng affirmed that his nation always remembers the valuable support given by the Party, State, Army, and people of Vietnam to Cambodia during the past struggles for national liberation and in the current cause of national construction and development.
He expressed admiration for Vietnamese development under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the administration of the Vietnamese Government, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic when it faced many complicated and unpredictable developments. Indeed, during this period Vietnam still went on to record great achievements across multiple fields.
The Cambodian Deputy PM believes that based on solidarity and mutual trust, the two countries will definitely promote ties of good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, long-term comprehensive, and sustainable co-operation in order to effectively solve problems together.
The two sides expressed their pleasure that economic ties have been a prominent highlight in bilateral co-operation recently.
Accordingly, last year's total trade turnover between the two countries reached US$10.6 billion, up 11% over the same period from a year earlier.
In terms of investment, at present Vietnam runs 205 valid investment projects in Cambodia with a total registered capital of US$2.94 billion, ranking first in ASEAN and among the leading five countries with the largest direct investment in this market.
Highlighting the huge potential to grow economic co-operation between the two countries, host and guest stated that the two sides need to strengthen infrastructure connectivity and jointly build an independent, self-reliant and integrated economy.
In the immediate future, the two sides are well prepared to successfully organise a conference of bordering provinces and inaugurate two new border gates between the two nations towards building a border of peace, friendship, co-operation, and development.
The two sides agreed to support each other at multilateral forums and ASEAN's principled stance on the East Sea; uphold international law; fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC); and work towards a substantive, effective and efficient Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), in accordance with international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).