Phnom Penh (VNA) – The 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) is not only a major milestone in Vietnam’s development process, but also a catalyst for renewed momentum in the traditional friendship between Vietnam and Cambodia, paving the way for more sustainable and substantive ties in the time ahead, according to a Cambodian scholar.
In his article published by the Khmer Times on January 26, Uch Leang, Acting Director of the Department of Asian, African, and Middle-East Studies under the International Relations Institute of Cambodia (IRIC), at the Royal Academy of Cambodia (RAC), emphasised that the Congress clearly reaffirms Vietnam’s long-term strategic vision, while strengthening political stability and confidence in development.
According to the expert, the success of the Congress conveyed a powerful message that Vietnam is entering the “Era of National Development” with confidence in its internal strength and proactive international integration. This achievement is not only good news for the Vietnamese people, but also a stabilising and developmental factor for Southeast Asia as a whole.
Regarding Vietnam’s foreign policy, the article noted that the documents adopted at the Congress demonstrate that Vietnam’s foreign policy has been inherited and elevated to a new level. It said that Vietnam continues to consistently uphold an independent, self-reliant foreign policy of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development.
In relations with Cambodia, this policy has been concretised through intensified high-level exchanges, the maintenance of cooperation mechanisms between the two Parties and Governments to strengthen political trust; treating security and defense cooperation as a pillar for safeguarding peace and preventing any attempts to sow division between the two countries; and building a peaceful, friendly, and sustainably developed border that facilitates cross-border trade and people-to-people exchanges.
The Cambodian scholar stressed that Vietnam’s reaffirmation of “the highest priority” for relations with neighbouring countries in the 14th Congress documents constitutes a strong political and legal commitment, providing a solid foundation for ever-closer Cambodia-Vietnam ties.
He added that the two countries share similar strategic goals for socio-economic development and now enjoy unprecedented favourable conditions to further promote their traditional friendship.
Accordingly, Vietnam aims to become an upper-middle-income country by 2030 and a high-income nation by 2045, while Cambodia is implementing the first phase of its Pentagonal Strategy, with the ambition of attaining upper-middle-income status by 2030 and high-income status by 2050. This alignment creates ample room for stronger economic, investment, and trade cooperation.
The article underscored that the close linkage between the CPV and the Cambodian People’s Party constitutes a firm foundation for bilateral ties. It noted that mutual trust forged over history, together with regular interaction among generations of leaders, especially young leaders, enables the two countries to maintain a long-term cooperative orientation.
The scholar also highlighted the deep-rooted people-to-people friendship between the two countries, saying that nearly five decades later, the assistance provided by Vietnam during Cambodia’s darkest years under the genocidal Pol Pot regime remains deeply appreciated by the Cambodian people. People-to-people exchanges, cooperation among border localities, and the growing presence of Vietnamese enterprises in Cambodia are increasingly becoming strong bonds connecting the two societies.
The article added that the ASEAN regional context provides added momentum for Vietnam – Cambodian relations as both countries share an interest in building a strong and unified ASEAN community, where they can coordinate positions on multilateral platforms, uphold the bloc’s central role, and contribute to peace and stability in the region.
Uch Leang stated that building upon the success of the 14th National Congress, positive signals from Vietnam, and the long-standing historical bonds between the two countries, it can be confidently affirmed that the prospects for Cambodia-Vietnam relations in the coming years are exceptionally bright, especially in economic and trade ties, cooperation in education and human resource development, tourism and cultural exchange.
Looking toward a sustainable future, the article said the CPV’s 14th National Congress have infused new vitality, reaffirming a Vietnam that is innovative, sincere, and deeply cherishing its friendship with Cambodia. It stressed that “With favourable conditions for traditional cooperation and sound leadership from both countries, Cambodia-Vietnam relations will continue to flourish, meeting the expectations of both peoples and contributing positively to peace and stability in the region and the world./.
