The 16th meeting of the Việt Nam-Cambodia Joint Committee on Economic, Cultural and Scientific-Technological Cooperation was held in Hà Nội on May 17.— VNA/VNS Photo Lâm Khánh

HÀ NỘI — The 16th meeting of the Việt Nam-Cambodia Joint Committee on Economic, Cultural and Scientific-Technological Cooperation was held in Hà Nội on May 17, co-chaired by Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Phạm Bình Minh and Cambodian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn. 

Both Minh and Prak Sokhonn agreed that since the committee’s previous meeting in March last year, the Việt Nam-Cambodia relationship has grown continuously and notched many achievements. 
The two nations jointly held many activities to mark Friendship Year 2017 and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties, including the exchange of many high-level delegations. 
Bilateral cooperation mechanisms as well as partnerships among ministries, sectors and localities of both countries have been strengthened, while the land border demarcation and border management have seen progresses. Currently, 84 per cent of land border demarcation and marker planting work has been accomplished, they noted, adding that the two sides are determined to finish the work soon in an effort to build a shared border of peace, friendship, cooperation and sustainable development. 
Senior leaders of Việt Nam and Cambodia also pledged to continue creating favourable conditions for Vietnamese and Cambodian people to settle in each other’s territories in line with the laws of each nation. 
The two sides highlighted that bilateral economic ties have also seen positive signals with two-way trade reaching US$3.8 billion in 2017, a rise of 25 per cent over 2016. Việt Nam has invested in 196 projects in Cambodia with total registered capital of $2.94 billion, mostly in the agro-forestry sector, making Việt Nam one of the five biggest foreign investors in Cambodia. 
At the same time, Cambodian firms have invested in 18 projects in Việt Nam with combined investment of $58.12 million. 
Vietnamese investors in Cambodia have been highly valued by Prime Minister Hun Sen and other Cambodian leaders for significant contributions to the country’s socio-economic development. 
Meanwhile, the two sides have worked together to strengthen connectivity in economics and transport. In July last year, they concluded negotiations on a memorandum of understanding on the Việt Nam-Cambodia transportation cooperation strategy in the 2018-25 period with a vision to 2030. 
The two countries inaugurated a bridge connecting Long Bình (An Giang) and Chrey Thom (Kandal) in April 2017, while opening to traffic the Lệ Thanh (Gia Lai) - Oyadav (Rattanakiri) border gate in July 2017. 
Every year, Việt Nam has granted hundreds of scholarships to Cambodian students, while Cambodia has also helped Việt Nam in personnel training. 
At the meeting, the two sides discussed major orientations and specific measures to further expand and deepen the bilateral partnership. They agreed to bolster cooperation in personnel training, while creating optimal conditions for economic, trade and investment relations.
They will continue to reinforce and boost coordination in security-defence, transport infrastructure development, industry-mining-energy, agro-forestry-fisheries, information and communications, health care, labour, social affairs, religion, culture, sports, tourism and environment.

Việt Nam and Cambodia will continue enhancing ties among localities and within the framework of the Cambodia-Laos-Việt Nam triangular development. 
They pledged to continue to manage the shared border in line with already-signed treaties and agreements, while working closely to fulfill the target of legalising the completed work in border demarcation in 2018. They will continue seeking suitable solutions to finish the remaining work. 
The Cambodian side agreed to continue applying measures to ensure the legitimate rights of overseas Vietnamese in Cambodia. 
The two sides also agreed to implement the mid-term review mechanism to ensure the effective implementation of agreements. 
After the meeting, the two ministers signed the minutes of the meeting. The 17th meeting of the committee will be held in Cambodia in 2019.

On the same day, President Trần Đại Quang hosted Cambodian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn in Hà Nội.

Minister Prak Sokhonn briefed his host on the outcomes of the 16th meeting of the Việt Nam-Cambodia Joint Commission on Economic, Cultural, Scientific and Technological Cooperation, with the minutes of the meeting signed to act as a guideline for ministries and sectors of both sides to implement their cooperation. — VNS