Phnom Penh (VNA) – Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Vu Quang Minh hashighlighted the significance of Vietnam’s National Day (September 2) andrelations between the two countries at an interview granted to the CambodiaNews Channel (CNC).

The diplomat saidon September 2, 1945, President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration ofIndependence, declaring to the world the foundation of the Democratic Republicof Vietnam, now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The event created amilestone and brought Vietnam to the era of independence.

The event, together with the Dien Bien Phu victory in 1954, raised hope forfreedom and independence of other countries across the world, he said.

Since then,Vietnamese people have united with each other to reap significant achievementsin national defence and socio-economic development, Ambassador Minh noted.

Regarding therelationship between Vietnam and Cambodia, the ambassador said the two sideshave exchanged many high-level delegations, citing visits by Vietnamese andCambodian leaders, especially Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s upcoming trip toHanoi to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) on ASEAN.   

Besides, the twocountries have reinforced cooperation and closely coordinated with each otherat regional and international forums such as Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam (CLV),Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam (CLMV), Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy Summit (ACMECS), and cooperationframeworks of the Mekong region, theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United Nations (UN).

Apart from the strongdevelopment of collaboration between ministries, agencies and localities, thebilateral economic and trade ties have also developed rapidly, the diplomatsaid.

He further explained that Vietnam is one of Cambodia’s leading economicpartners with two-way trade reaching nearly 3.8 billion USD in 2017, up morethan 25 percent year-on-year. The two sides are striving to raise the figure to5 billion USD in the coming years.

Earlier this year, Vietnam and Cambodia signed an agreement ondouble taxation avoidance. They are working together to soon complete anotherdeal on border trade, he added.

In 2018 and 2019, Vietnamwill double efforts to further promote bilateral collaboration in all realmsand implement commitments made at the 16th meeting of the Joint Committee onEconomic, Cultural, and Scientific-Technological Cooperation in May 2018.

The ambassador suggested twosides join hands to complete the land border demarcation and marker planting,finalise the legal framework for economic and trade cooperation, facilitateinvestment in the respective markets, support Vietnamese in Cambodia andstrengthen their coordination at multilateral frameworks.

Stressing the close-knitneighbourliness, traditional friendship and solidarity between Vietnam and Cambodia, Minh pledged to do hisutmost to contribute to advancing the bilateral ties.

The diplomat expressed hishope that the friendship will be enhanced in the time ahead, for the sake ofpeople of both countries, and for peace, stability and development in theregion and the world as well.-VNA