Cambodian King begins state visit to Vietnam

The King and his entourage were greeted at Noi Bai International Airport by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Ha Minh Hai, Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyen Huy Tang, and other officials.

Norodom Sihamoni is accompanied by Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Royal Palace, and Supreme Advisor to the King Samdech Mahamontrei Kuy Sophal, Deputy Prime Minister Neth Savoeun, and Supreme Advisor to the King and Deputy Chief of the King's Office Chan Samdarind, among others.

Since his ascension to the throne on October 29, 2004, or after 20 years of reign, Norodom Sihamoni made three trips to Vietnam in 2006, 2012, and 2018. And, this time marks his fourth visit to Vietnam.

During this visit, the King will hold talks with all of Vietnam's highest-level leaders, strengthening political trust and promoting cooperation in various fields, including economics, culture and education.

Vietnam and Cambodia officially established diplomatic relations on June 24, 1967, and their friendship has ever since been continuously nurtured and developed. In 2005, leaders of the two countries agreed on a new approach to their relations following the motto of "good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, and long-term sustainability". Guided by this principle, their relationship has been further strengthened across all fields.

High-level exchanges between the two countries have remained frequent in various forms, playing a vital role in guiding the relationship between the two countries.

Vietnam-Cambodia bilateral trade has grown substantially, with an average annual increase of over 20% from 2015 to 2022, surpassing 10 billion USD in 2022. Despite the challenges posed by the global economic downturn in 2023, two-way trade still reached 8.57 billion USD. By October this year, the figure had reached 8.35 billion USD, with both countries aiming to achieve 20 billion USD in trade in the near future.

Vietnam remains the largest investor from ASEAN and one of the top five investors globally in Cambodia, with 205 active projects worth a total registered capital of 2.94 billion USD as of July 2024. Meanwhile, Cambodia had run 38 investment projects in Vietnam, with a total registered capital of 76.8 million USD as of October./.