The meeting was co-chaired by Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn in the framework of the latter's ongoing official visit to Vietnam.
In his remarks at the meeting, FM Son expressed his delight at the fruitful development of the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia, saying that stakeholders in the two countries have coordinated to successfully organise important events and commemorative activities in the Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Year 2022. The events have contributed to further tightening the bilateral relations, and raising awareness of people of the traditional friendship between the two countries, he said.
For his part, Prak Sokhonn said bilateral cooperation mechanisms and cooperation between ministries, sectors and localities of th two countries have been strengthened and proven effective.
He added that the meeting offered an opportunity for the two sides to discuss how to further improve the effectiveness of bilateral cooperation at regional and international forums.
The two sides discussed cooperation outcomes among ministries and sectors in recent times across all fields of politics-diplomacy, defence, security, border control, economy, trade, investment, transport, education-training, culture, sports, tourism, health care, and justice.
They shared pleasure at the two sides' close coordination in successfully organising a high-level meeting between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Cambodian People's Party on February 18, 2023; the official visits of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue to Cambodia in 2022; as well as other activities to mark the 55th founding anniversary of the diplomatic ties.
Defence-security cooperation has become an increasingly important pillar, while economic cooperation has been also a highlight in bilateral relations in recent years. Last year, two-way trade hit 10.57 billion USD, up nearly 11% year-on-year. Vietnam is Cambodia's third largest trade partner in ASEAN. Vietnam has so far 205 valid investment projects worth 2.94 billion USD in Cambodia, ranking first in ASEAN and among the five biggest foreign investors in Cambodia.
The two sides agreed to continue effectively implementing signed agreements; strengthening security and defence cooperation; working together to boost economic connectivity and deal with difficulties facing businesses of both countries; and maintaining the stable growth of bilateral trade and investment.
They also concurred to step up partnerships in transport, tourism, agro-forestry-fisheries, telecommunications and information technology, labour, natural resources and environment, whilst promoting cooperation among localities and within the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam (CLV) Development Triangle. They agreed to work closely in searching for, collecting and repatriating the remains of Vietnamese soldiers who fell down in Cambodia during wartime.
On behalf of the two governments, FM Son and Sokhonn signed the meeting's minutes. The 21st meeting of the committee is scheduled to be held in Cambodia in 2024.
