Vietnam, Cambodia step up trade facilitation measures

Deputy PM and FM Pham Binh Minh welcomes Deputy PM and Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia Prak Sokhonn (L)

Deputy PM and FM Pham Binh Minh and Deputy PM and Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia Prak Sokhonn held talks in Hanoi on November 27 as part of the latter’s visit to Vietnam over November 26-27.

The two diplomats had a wide-ranging discussion on Vietnam-Cambodia cooperation and reaffirmed their greater efforts to constantly consolidate and deepen the comprehensive cooperation and friendly neighbourliness between the two countries in the new situation.

They agreed upon closer collaboration in preparation for important bilateral activities from now to 2019 and noted the positive development in bilateral ties since the 16th meeting of the Vietnam-Cambodia Joint Committee in May 2018 with the two-way trade value exceeding US$4 billion this year.

Prak Sokhonn suggested Vietnamese businesses continue expanding their investment, while affirming the Cambodian Government’s readiness to facilitate their investments in Cambodia.

The two sides concurred to beef up their fruitful cooperation in education-training, tourism, and cultural and people-to-people exchange to reinforce solidarity and educate younger generations on the historical tradition of Vietnam-Cambodia relations.

They reached a consensus on stronger bilateral coordination to actively carry out agreements reached by top leaders pertaining to the land border demarcation and marker planting, the processing of legal papers for Vietnamese Cambodians, and the removal of floating houses of those residing on Tonle Sap Lake in Kampong Chhnang province, to foster bilateral ties in the future.

The leaders highly appreciated the countries’ cooperation at regional and international forums, asserting the importance of enhancing the unity and central role of ASEAN in the regional architecture as well as maintaining the regional group’s goals and basic principles.

The pair agreed to boost collaboration in the framework of the Greater Mekong Sub-region and the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle to narrow the development gap, and manage and use Mekong river water resources sustainably.

They asserted mutual support and closer coordination in 2020 when Vietnam performs its role as ASEAN Chair and Cambodia hosts the 13th ASEM Summit.

Regarding the East Sea issue, they underlined the importance of maintaining peace, security and stability in the waters, settling disputes by peaceful measures on the basis of respect for international law and the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS), and speeding up the negotiations on an effective, practical Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in line with international law.

They also consented to conduct periodical exchanges between the two foreign ministries with a view to strengthening their information sharing, coordination, and training and research cooperation between the Vietnam Academy of Diplomacy and the newly-established Academy of Diplomacy and International Relations of Cambodia.