President To Lam holds talks with CPP Chairman and Senate President Hun Sen

During the talks, President To Lam expressed his pleasure in making his first state visit to Cambodia in his new position and meeting President Hun Sen, a long-time close friend of the Vietnamese leaders and people. The President respectfully conveyed to President Hun Sen the regards and best wishes of health from General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and the leaders of the Party and State of Vietnam.

Expressing his delight at the continuous development achievements that Cambodia has made in recent times, including nearly 40 years under the leadership of the government headed by President Hun Sen, President To Lam believes that under the wise reign of King Norodom Sihamoni and the policies of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) led by President Hun Sen, Cambodia will continue to gain even greater achievements with an increasingly enhanced role and position in the region and the world.

Congratulating the great victory of the Cambodian People's Party in the recent elections and the election of President Hun Sen as President of the Senate, President To Lam affirmed that this demonstrates the people's trust and support for President Hun Sen personally and the CPP.

President To Lam also highly appreciated the precious sentiment and key role of President Hun Sen in preserving and developing the friendly neighborly relations and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries in recent times.

President Hun Sen warmly welcomed and highly appreciated the significance of President To Lam's first state visit to Cambodia in his new position; affirmed that President To Lam's visit contributed to further strengthening the friendly and close relationship between the two countries; wished the Vietnamese people, under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam headed by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, to continue to gain many new achievements, bringing Vietnam to continue to develop more strongly, becoming one of the world's major economies and completing the goal of industrialization and modernization of the country by 2030, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, saying that Vietnam's development will also help the two neighboring countries of Cambodia and Laos to develop.

President Hun Sen respectfully conveyed his warm regards and affection to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and senior leaders of Vietnam.

The two leaders highly appreciated the cooperation achievements that the two sides have made in recent times. Political trust has increased, and senior leaders of the two countries regularly visit and meet each other. Security and defense cooperation has developed more substantially and deeply, becoming a pillar in the relationship. Trade and investment cooperation has become increasingly close, with intertwined interests. Vietnam continues to be one of Cambodia's major investors and trade partners.

Other areas of cooperation such as education, culture, tourism, etc. are increasingly rich and diverse. In particular, people-to-people exchanges are widely implemented and in many new forms, especially between provinces sharing borders. Cooperation between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the Senate and National Assembly of Cambodia is increasingly close, contributing to strengthening the cooperation relationship between the Party and the Government. The two leaders agreed that the stability, peace and development of one country is also the benefit of the other.

The two sides expressed their appreciation for the assistance, solidarity, attachment and sacrifice for each other during the past struggle for national liberation as well as the current construction and development of the country, and affirmed that this is an undeniable truth. President Hun Sen expressed his gratitude for Vietnam's assistance and sacrifice in helping Cambodia escape the Pol Pot genocidal regime and revive the country.

In order to develop the bilateral relationship more strongly in the new period, the two sides agreed to actively implement high-level agreements and the results of the high-level meetings between the two Parties; increase meetings and contacts between high-level leaders, at all levels and on all channels, especially between young leaders and youth of the two countries, as well as between young leaders of the development triangle; effectively promote the mechanisms of the Vietnam - Cambodia Joint Committee on economic, cultural, scientific and technical cooperation, the Conference on cooperation and development of border provinces; actively implement new cooperation mechanisms such as the Meeting between the three Foreign Ministers of Vietnam - Cambodia - Laos; expand exchanges and cooperation to help each other between legislative, executive and judicial agencies, people's organizations and localities of the two countries.

The two sides emphasized continuing to develop security and defense cooperation more comprehensively and deeply, firmly upholding the principle of not allowing any hostile force to use the territory of one country to sabotage the other and considering the security and safety of one country as the benefit of the other, effectively promoting the mechanism of the annual Conference of Ministers of Public Security and Interior of Cambodia - Laos - Vietnam, the Meeting of Ministers of Defense of Cambodia - Laos - Vietnam and the Joint Military Exercise of the three countries on responding to non-traditional security challenges and closely coordinating between the functional forces of the two countries.

The two leaders particularly emphasized the historical significance of the Vietnam-Cambodia relationship and agreed on the need to promote innovation and diversify forms of propaganda and education so that the people of the two countries, especially the younger generation, have a correct understanding and perception of the traditional friendship, solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, the two countries and the two peoples; and resolutely not allow hostile forces to distort and divide the Vietnam-Cambodia friendship. President Hun Sen also highlighted the importance of cooperation in human resource development and asked Vietnam to continue supporting Cambodia in this field.

The two sides agreed to continue to strengthen cooperation between Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, including effectively implementing agreements reached at the High-level Meeting between the leaders of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the Cambodian People's Party and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party; maintaining and promoting the effectiveness of meetings between the three Prime Ministers, National Assembly Chairmen, Ministers of Public Security, National Defense, Foreign Affairs and leaders of a number of ministries and sectors of the three countries; strengthening solidarity and cohesion between the three countries for the benefit of each country and for the common benefit of the region.

In response to President To Lam's invitation to visit Vietnam, President Hun Sen affirmed that he will soon visit Vietnam, and the specific time will be arranged through diplomatic channels.