President Vo Van Thuong receives the first international guest in his new position.

On the afternoon of March 4, President Vo Van Thuong received Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Samdech Krolahom Sar Kheng, who is on a working visit to Vietnam.

President Vo Van Thuong welcomed Mr. Samdech Krolahom Sar Kheng, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of Cambodia, as the first international guest the President received in his new position.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs Samdech Krolahom Sar Kheng congratulated President Vo Van Thuong on being elected by the National Assembly to the position of Head of State of Vietnam, and conveyed congratulations from Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni to President Vo Van Thuong.

He expressed his honor to be the first international guest to be received by President Vo Van Thuong. The Deputy Prime Minister believes that the President will continue to make many contributions to fostering the friendly relationship between the two countries to develop better and better.

President Vo Van Thuong receives Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister. Photo: VPCTN

In 2023, Cambodia will host many important events, including the 7th National Assembly election, the 32nd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 32) and the Southeast Asian Para Games (Para Games). The Deputy Prime Minister expressed his hope that Vietnam will support, share experiences and support Cambodia in successfully organizing these events.

Many conferences of border provinces have been held with practical results, contributing to maintaining security and improving the lives of people of the two countries. Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Samdech Krolahom Sar Kheng proposed that Vietnam coordinate to prepare for the successful organization of conferences of border provinces and the inauguration of two new border gates between the two countries, thereby promoting the construction of a peaceful, friendly, cooperative and developing border.

President Vo Van Thuong respectfully thanked King Norodom Sihamoni for his congratulatory letter.

Through Deputy Prime Minister Samdech Krolahom Sar Kheng, President Vo Van Thuong invited King Norodom Sihamoni to soon visit Vietnam again.

Pleased with the good results of cooperation between the two countries in all fields in recent times, the President said that the two countries have successfully organized many high-level visits between the two Parties and the two States; bilateral trade turnover has achieved positive results; economic cooperation activities and people-to-people exchanges have taken place vigorously, including people-to-people exchanges in border provinces.

Congratulating Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Samdech Krolahom Sar Kheng and Vietnamese Minister of Public Security To Lam on their successful talks during the visit, the President highly appreciated the effective cooperation between the Cambodian Ministry of Interior and the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security in recent times and the bright spot in the relationship between the two countries; highly appreciated the Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior for his many important contributions, helping to remove obstacles and difficulties for people of Vietnamese origin in Cambodia.

President Vo Van Thuong agreed with Deputy Prime Minister Samdech Krolahom Sar Kheng on promoting border cooperation through border gates and accelerating the completion of land border demarcation and marker planting, thereby promoting the building of a border of peace, friendship, cooperation and development.

At the Government Headquarters, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Samdech Krolahom Sar Kheng.

The Prime Minister was pleased to know that Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs Samdech Krolahom Sar Kheng and the delegation had a very successful meeting with Minister of Public Security To Lam, contributing significantly to concretizing the conclusions of the Politburo meeting of the two Parties that took place on February 18, 2023.

In recent years, despite the complicated and unpredictable developments in the international situation, the good neighborly relationship, traditional friendship, comprehensive and long-term cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia has continued to be consolidated and strengthened. In the overall relationship between the two countries, cooperation in the field of security and defense has always been valued, promoted and identified by leaders at all levels as a pillar in the cooperative relationship between the two countries.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior. Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

The Prime Minister requested the relevant agencies of the Cambodian Ministry of Interior and the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security to continue to strengthen joint projects against all types of crimes, especially transnational crimes such as criminal offenses, drugs, and human trafficking; fight against fraud rings and gambling organizations using Cambodian territory to operate; and coordinate in rescuing and repatriating Vietnamese citizens who are being detained or forced to work in illegal gambling establishments in Cambodia.

The Prime Minister hopes that in the coming time, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Samdech Krolahom Sar Kheng and Cambodian leaders will continue to pay attention and direct Cambodian authorities to find appropriate solutions to remove difficulties for the Vietnamese community.

In 2023, many important events will take place in Cambodia. The Prime Minister emphasized that, within its capacity, the Vietnamese Government is ready to support, share experiences and support Cambodia in successfully organizing these events.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Samdech Krolahom Sar Kheng believes that with sincere feelings, solidarity and mutual trust, the two countries will definitely promote the relationship of "good neighborliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, long-term sustainability", and together effectively resolve issues.

The two sides expressed their delight that economic cooperation has been a highlight in the cooperation between the two countries in recent times. Accordingly, in 2022, the total trade turnover between the two countries reached 10.6 billion USD, an increase of 11% over the same period in 2021. Regarding investment, Vietnam has 205 valid investment projects in Cambodia with a total registered capital of 2.94 billion USD, ranking first in ASEAN and among the 5 countries with the largest direct investment in Cambodia.

There is still a lot of room for cooperation between the two countries in the economic field. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior said that the two countries need to strengthen infrastructure connectivity and work together to build an independent, self-reliant and integrated economy. In the immediate future, the two sides will prepare well to successfully organize the conference of border provinces; inaugurate two new border gates between the two countries, thereby promoting the construction of a peaceful, friendly, cooperative and developed border.

On the morning of March 4, General To Lam, Minister of Public Security, and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Samdech Krolahom Sar Kheng co-chaired the Conference to review the 2022 Cooperation Plan and sign the 2023 Cooperation Plan between the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security and the Cambodian Ministry of Interior.