Vietnam gives high priority to relations with Cambodia: top legislator

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam always attaches importance and gives high priority to consolidating and enhancing the “fine neighbourliness, traditional friendship, and comprehensive, sustainable and long-term cooperation” with Cambodia, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue affirmed on May 14.

During a reception for Cambodian Ambassador Chay Navuth, Hue said despite COVID-19, leaders of Vietnam and Cambodia have maintained regular exchanges and bilateral cooperation mechanisms.

The chief legislator highlighted the positive growth of the two-way trade that hit 3.89 billion USD in the first four months of this year, up 122 percent year-on-year.

 

Hue lauded achievements Cambodia has recorded over the past time, as well as the Cambodian government’s strong efforts and measures to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Vietnamese leaders and people always keep a close watch on the pandemic situation in Cambodia, Hue said, expressing his hope that Vietnam’s support will contribute to the pandemic combat in the neighbouring country.

He used the occasion to thank Cambodia for its attention to the Vietnamese community in the country amidst the pandemic, including the vaccination towards Vietnamese students and Vietnamese Cambodians.

Vietnam also plans to give COVID-19 vaccine shots to Cambodian students and citizens, he told the ambassador.  

 

Hue also spoke highly of the fruitful cooperation between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the Cambodian National Assembly and Senate, both bilaterally and multilaterally.

Vietnam and Cambodia have actively coordinated and assisted each other to organise multilateral diplomatic events hosted by the respective countries, and provided mutual support at regional and international parliamentary forums.

He thanked Cambodia for backing Vietnam in its role as Chair of ASEAN and the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) in 2020, saying Vietnam stands ready to coordinate with and support the Cambodian NA to host the 13th Summit of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM 13) in late 2021, and fulfill its role as Chair of ASEAN and AIPA in 2022.

He asked the ambassador to convey his invitations to Cambodian NA President Heng Samrin and Senate President Say Chhum to visit Vietnam at a suitable time.

For his part, Chay Navuth noted his belief that with its active preparations, Vietnam will successfully organise the elections of deputies to the 15th legislature and all-level People’s Councils for 2021-2026 on May 23.

He thanked the Vietnamese Party, State and people for gifting a building to the Cambodian NA’s Secretariat and committees, saying the construction is scheduled to begin in late 2021 or early 2022.

The ambassador also praised Vietnam’s assistance to the Cambodian legislature in personnel training over the past time./.