In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)’s resident correspondent in Phnom Penh, Uch Leang, Acting Director of the Department of Asian, African, and Middle-East Studies under the International Relations Institute of Cambodia at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said during the Vietnam visit by Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet in December 2023, the two sides shared their wish to deepen the time-honoured relations.
The two countries’ leaders were also committed to maintaining, enhancing and expanding cooperation in various spheres, including education, trade, investment, tourism, culture, national defence and security, and border matters, he said.
The scholar noted that the good neighbourliness has been cultivated and enhanced by generations of Cambodian leaders and people, and recalled Vietnam’s timely and effective support for Cambodia during its past struggle against the Pol Pot genocidal regime.
Addressing the ceremony marking the 47th Remembrance Day of the “Journey to Overthrow the Pol Pot Genocidal Regime” (June 20, 1977) in Tbong Khmum province, PM Hun Manet affirmed that Cambodia will forever remember the engagement and contributions by Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts to its struggle for national liberation, according to Uch Leang.
Highlighting the firm foundation of the time-tested relationship, the scholar said similarities in the two countries’ foreign policies have created momentum for their friendship to grow to a higher level, more intensively, extensively and effectively across spheres, becoming a priceless, lasting and unshakable common property of the two nations' people.
The two countries provided mutual support during their past struggles for national liberation, and they are working to promote the tradition, supporting each other at regional and international forums, he said.
