Meeting with the King of Cambodia, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to and gives high priority to strengthening solidarity and consolidating comprehensive cooperation with Cambodia.

On the afternoon of November 28, at the Government Headquarters, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, who is visiting Vietnam at the invitation of President Luong Cuong.

Warmly welcoming the King and the high-ranking delegation of the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Prime Minister highly appreciated and believed that the visit demonstrated the King's deep affection for the leaders and people of Vietnam as well as the relationship between the two countries.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the history of Vietnam-Cambodia relations has been marked by the arduous years of resistance to regain independence and freedom of each country. Sharing and sacrificing for each other is a fine tradition and a priceless asset that the two nations need to preserve and cultivate together. The Vietnamese people always remember the sentiments and valuable help that the late Supreme King Norodom Sihanouk, the King, generations of leaders and people of Cambodia have given to the Vietnamese people in the past cause of national liberation and reunification as well as the cause of building, protecting and developing the country today.

Congratulating the Cambodian people on their great and comprehensive achievements over the past two decades under the wise reign of the King, the leadership of the Senate, the National Assembly and the Government, and highly appreciating Cambodia's contributions to ASEAN and the international community, the Prime Minister congratulated Cambodia on successfully organizing the 12th International Conference of Asian Political Parties and the 11th Plenary Session of the International Parliament for Tolerance and Peace (November 22-24, 2024), contributing to enhancing Cambodia's role and position in the region and the world.

The Prime Minister affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to and gives high priority to strengthening solidarity and consolidating comprehensive cooperation with Cambodia, and will do its utmost, together with the Cambodian leaders and people, to continue to foster the increasingly deeper and broader relations between the two countries, meeting the aspirations of the two peoples. Vietnam is ready to support and share experiences to help Cambodia successfully organize the 20th Summit of the Francophone Community in 2026.

King Norodom Sihamoni conveyed the warm regards and best wishes of his mother - Queen Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk and Cambodian leaders to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

The King was moved by the warm welcome and sincere feelings that the Vietnamese leaders and people had shown to him and the delegation; he said that Vietnam's achievements were a great source of encouragement for Cambodia in its cause of national construction and development.

The King thanked Vietnam for its valuable cooperation and assistance in the past cause of national liberation as well as in the present cause of national construction and development of Cambodia and recalled that since 1960, the late King Norodom Sihanouk, together with Vietnamese leaders, had built a bridge of friendship, brotherhood and solidarity with the leaders and people of Vietnam, and that future generations of leaders and the people of Cambodia would continue to promote and further expand the relationship between the two countries.

The King affirmed that the Vietnam-Cambodia relationship is a long-standing brotherly and friendly relationship of historical significance. He will continue to support the cooperation activities of the two countries' governments and believes that the Vietnam-Cambodia relationship will develop increasingly deeply and effectively.

The two sides were pleased to note that the relationship between Vietnam and Cambodia has been continuously strengthened and developed over the past time. The two sides have closely cooperated in politics, diplomacy, security and defense. Trade and investment cooperation continues to be the foundation for deepening the relationship between the two countries, increasing the economic benefits of the two countries. Currently, there are about 3,000 Cambodian students studying in Vietnam and nearly 100 Vietnamese students studying in Cambodia, which will be an important bridge for the friendship between the two countries.

The two sides agreed to increase delegation exchanges and contacts at all levels, promote economic, cultural, scientific and technical cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, and properly resolve outstanding issues in the spirit of neighborly solidarity and friendship.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the close relationship and solidarity between Vietnam-Cambodia, Vietnam-Laos and between Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia is inevitable, objective and a valuable asset of each country and the three countries; he suggested that the two countries actively promote the tradition of solidarity and friendship between the two countries to all classes of people, especially the young generation.

On this occasion, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed his hope that, in his noble position, the King will continue to pay attention, and together with senior Cambodian leaders, direct the removal of difficulties and obstacles, and create conditions for naturalization for people of Vietnamese origin who are qualified to live and work stably and legally in Cambodia, integrate well with the local community and serve as a bridge of friendship between the two countries; as well as pay attention and support the project of the Vietnam Studies Center at the Royal University of Phnom Penh to be established and put into operation soon, becoming a cradle for Cambodian and international students to learn about the language, culture, country and people of Vietnam, the Vietnam-Cambodia relationship and together foster the close relationship between Vietnam and Cambodia./.