Speaker of Cambodian NA vows support to raise VN-Cambodia trade value to US$5 bln by 2020

Chairwoman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan holds talks with Speaker of the Cambodian National Assembly Samdech Heng Samrin, Ha Noi, May 28, 2019 - Photo: VNA

Samdech Heng Samrin made that statement at his talks with Chairwoman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan on May 28 on the occasion of his official visit to Viet Nam from May 28-30.

At the talks, both leaders agreed on the need to step up delegation and people-to-people exchanges and maintain coordination in carrying out signed agreements. They also highlighted the importance of regularly educating the two countries’ people, especially younger generations, on the solidarity, friendship, and comprehensive cooperation between Viet Nam and Cambodia.

The leaders underlined the bilateral trade reaching US$4.7 billion last year, a 23.7% rise year-on-year.
Heng Samrin suggested intensifying people-to-people exchanges and cooperation in defense, security, counterterrorism, and information sharing; and orientating border areas towards the building of a peaceful, friendship, and developing border line.

He took the occasion to thank the Vietnamese Party, State, and people for supporting Cambodia over the recent years.

For her side, Ngan asked the Cambodian side to create favorable conditions for the search for and repatriation of remains of volunteer Vietnamese soldiers and experts who laid down their lives in Cambodia, as well as the construction, restoration, and repair of Viet Nam-Cambodia friendship monuments in the country.

The leaders expressed their delight at the achievements gained by Viet Nam and Cambodia in border demarcation and border marker planting as 84% of the work has been completed, asking both sides to continue discussions to seek out mutually fair and suitable measures acceptable to both sides.

Regarding the resettlement of Vietnamese people in the Tonle Sap Lake, Ngan required the Cambodian side to pay attention to ensuring the lives, interests, and assets of relocated people, affirming that Viet Nam will join hands with Cambodia to provide support for them to soon stabilize their lives.

The NA Chairwoman also stressed that Viet Nam hopes to continue cooperating with Cambodia in managing and using the Mekong River water resources sustainably, exploiting hydropower potential of the Mekong River appropriately and effectively, and ensuring water resource and environmental safety and security.

For regional cooperation, Ngan suggested both nations maintain close coordination in boosting cooperation initiatives suitable for their interests and those of the entire region. 

She voiced her hope to receive Cambodia’s support and coordination to help Viet Nam fulfill its role as ASEAN Chair and ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) Chair in 2020, and maintain the ASEAN’s intra-bloc solidarity and central role. 

Viet Nam is willing to help Cambodia organize the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit and the Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership (ASEP) Meeting next year, she asserted. 

For parliamentary collaboration, she asked both legislative bodies to facilitate the organization of meetings of young parliamentarians and female parliamentarians this year.

The two leaders affirmed to continue supporting each other in hosting international parliamentary meetings such as the AIPA, ASEP, Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF), and Inter-parliamentary Union (IPU).

Heng Samrin also took the occasion to invite his Vietnamese counterpart to pay an official visit to Cambodia at an appropriate time. The latter accepted the invitation.

After the talks, the leaders signed a cooperation agreement between the two legislatures and witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the Vietnamese NA Office and the Cambodian NA Secretariat.

By Hoang Ha