Phnom Penh (VNA) - The long-standing ties between the two ruling parties have been a political anchor for cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia, said a Cambodian scholar.

Thong Mengdavid, a lecturer and analyst at the Institute for International Studies and Public Policy (IISPP) under Royal University of Phnom Penh, said at an academic event marking the 80th anniversary of Vietnam’s August Revolution and National Day that Vietnam–Cambodia relations have been built on shared sacrifice, political trust, economic cooperation, cultural exchange and enduring friendship between the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) and the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV).

He stressed that the anniversary is not only a momentous occasion for Vietnam but also a point of reflection for Cambodia, whose destiny has long been intertwined with its neighbour.

He highlighted high-level exchanges, joint consultations and mutual support programmes between the CPP and CPV. These interactions, he said, reflect a “tradition of brotherly solidarity” rooted in the shared struggle for independence, national liberation and socialist-oriented development.

He recalled that during Cambodia’s darkest period under the Pol Pot genocidal regime, the CPV provided strategic guidance, political support and military assistance, playing a decisive role in Cambodia’s liberation in 1979. In the difficult years that followed, the CPV continued to help rebuild the CPP’s organisational capacity, train cadres and strengthen governance systems.

Over time, these ties evolved into structured mechanisms: annual consultations, leadership and mid-level exchanges, and policy workshops on governance and development. Such activities enabled both parties to share experiences, adjust policies and better serve their people, stated the Cambodian scholar.

According to Mengdavid, this enduring partnership is a political cornerstone of bilateral relations. Even as government policies shift, the stable ties between the CPP and CPV ensure long-term trust anchored in shared ideological foundations. This guarantees that relations are not only driven by immediate interests but also by lasting commitments to independence, sovereignty, peace, stability and the well-being of the people, he noted.

Looking ahead, he said both parties recognise the need to pass on this legacy to younger generations. Youth unions, women’s associations and grassroots branches on both sides have expanded exchanges, training and community initiatives. These efforts will sustain shared values of solidarity and mutual respect, while adapting cooperation to 21st-century challenges, he stressed.

He added that the CPP–CPV relationship guides bilateral cooperation not only through state policy but also through common ideological commitments. In this way, the ties between the two parties are not just a chapter of the past, but a lighthouse for the shared future of both nations, he affirmed.

Concluding his presentation, Thong Mengdavid underlined that after 80 years of the National Day of Vietnam, Vietnam and Cambodia remain sovereign partners, bound by history and shared aspirations.

From sacrifices of the past to opportunities of the future, Cambodia and Vietnam have shown they are more than neighbours – they are brothers in both war and peace, the IISPP analyst said.

🐬 With optimism, the 32-year-old scholar expressed his hope that this torch of friendship will be passed to the younger generations of the CPP and CPV, so that for the next 80 years and beyond, the ties between the two countries' people remain strong, lasting and unshakable – just as they are today./.