Vietnam and Cambodia agreed to drastically accelerate transport connectivity

17/07/2024 11:28

President To Lam and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet held talks in Phnom Penh, agreeing that the two sides will drastically accelerate traffic connections and border gate pairs.

During the talks on the morning of July 13, Prime Minister Hun Manet expressed his appreciation for President To Lam's visit to Cambodia shortly after taking office, showing the importance that Vietnam and the President personally attach to Cambodia, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The two leaders expressed their satisfaction with the development of bilateral relations in all fields. Vietnam is one of Cambodia's major trading partners, especially in the first quarter of 2024, trade turnover ranks second, accounting for 22.2% of Cambodia's total export value. The two leaders believe that trade between the two countries will soon reach the target of 20 billion USD.

The President and Prime Minister Hun Manet agreed to promote the implementation of signed agreements such as the Memorandum of Understanding on the development and connection of Vietnam-Cambodia border trade infrastructure, the Agreement on Promoting Bilateral Trade in the 2025-2026 period; drastically accelerate traffic connections, border gate pairs, actively coordinate with Laos to well implement tourism packages "A journey of three destinations" through Cambodia - Laos - Vietnam.

President To Lam and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet on the morning of July 13. Photo: TTXVN

The two leaders emphasized that Vietnam and Cambodia need to strengthen regular exchanges of high-level visits and contacts at all levels, well implement signed commitments, agreements, agreements and cooperation mechanisms; strengthen connection and propaganda to all levels of the people, especially the younger generation, about the solidarity and cohesion between the two countries.

Vietnam and Cambodia are committed to continuing to deepen the pillar of defense and security cooperation, emphasizing the principle of not allowing hostile forces to use the territory of one country against the other; further cooperate closely in the prevention and combat of high-tech crimes and cross-border crimes, continue to build a peaceful, stable, cooperative and sustainable development border; and support each other in training cadres and improving law enforcement capacity.

President To Lam and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet also proposed to make good use of the newly opened Hanoi - Phnom Penh - Hanoi direct flight route of Vietnam National Airlines and promote people-to-people exchanges. The route will operate from the end of October with a frequency of 4 round-trip flights per week. Currently, passengers who want to fly from Hanoi to Phnom Penh must transit in Vientiane, Laos.

Prime Minister Hun Manet pledged to continue to create favorable conditions for Vietnamese businesses. He emphasized that supporting and protecting Vietnamese investors is also an important goal of the Cambodian government to strengthen connectivity between the private sectors of the two countries.

The two leaders affirmed that they will strengthen cooperation in the field of human resource development, including Vietnam's continued scholarship for Cambodian students to study in Vietnam. In addition to supporting each other to improve the capacity of officials, the two sides will also focus more on attracting students from the two countries to study in each country in industry groups in line with new development trends such as digital transformation, science and technology application.

Vietnam and Cambodia will coordinate to well implement treaties, agreements and agreements related to the border that the two countries have signed; continue to negotiate and find fair and reasonable solutions to promote the settlement of areas that have not completed demarcation in the coming time; strengthen cooperation in preventing human trafficking and cross-border drug transportation, ensuring security and safety for people in border provinces.

The two countries agreed to continue coordinating to solve problems arising in the spirit of solidarity and friendship, focusing on building and developing the border-gate system, ensuring smooth traffic connections on both sides of the border, effectively participating in regional linkage initiatives,  area.

President To Lam thanked and highly appreciated the fact that Cambodia has just granted citizenship to three cases of people of Vietnamese descent, creating a premise for the two sides to continue to coordinate to solve the next cases. The President hopes that the Cambodian side will continue to pay attention to and create favorable conditions for the Vietnamese community to feel secure and integrate into life in the country.

Regarding regional and international cooperation, the two sides agreed to support Laos to fulfill its role as ASEAN Chair 2024 and AIPA 2024; promoting cooperation in the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle and the Greater Mekong Subregion; cooperation in the sustainable management and use of Mekong River water resources for the benefit of the community of people in the basin, for the future of future generations and the solidarity between riverine countries, in the spirit of respect, mutual understanding, equal cooperation, etc  win-win.

Vietnam and Cambodia established diplomatic relations in 1967. Trade turnover in the first 4 months of 2024 will reach about 3.9 billion USD, up 16.8% over the same period in 2023. Vietnam is currently Cambodia's third-largest trading partner and the largest trading partner in ASEAN.

Vietnam has 205 investment projects in Cambodia with a total registered capital of 2.94 billion USD, ranking first in ASEAN and in the top 5 countries with the largest direct investment in Cambodia. Cambodia ranks second among 79 countries and territories where Vietnam has invested abroad.

Source: vnexpress.net