President of the Khmer-Vietnamese Association in Cambodia Sim Chy speaks with Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Phnom Penh ahead of Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng’s official visit to Cambodia from October 8 to 10. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Hưng

PHNOM PENH — The Vietnamese-origin community in Cambodia has long made important contributions to the traditional friendship between the two countries and is striving to further contribute to the host’s development, President of the Khmer-Vietnamese Association in Cambodia Sim Chy has said.

In an interview with Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Phnom Penh ahead of Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng’s official visit to Cambodia, Sim Chy said the association has worked to encourage Vietnamese-origin people to respect Cambodian customs and traditions, comply with local laws, integrate into society and develop their livelihoods.

The association is also preparing to establish a Khmer-Vietnamese Youth Association and plans to work with the Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia to promote cultural exchanges, share experience and strengthen links between young people of the two countries.

Ahead of PM Hưng’s visit from October 8 to 10, Sim Chy said the association has proposed several measures to the Cambodian Government to address issues directly affecting the community and strengthen the social foundation of Việt Nam-Cambodia relations.

First, it suggested ensuring the legitimate rights and interests of people holding permanent residence cards under Cambodia’s immigration regulations and providing guidance and assistance for those eligible to acquire Cambodian citizenship in accordance with the Law on Immigration and Law on Nationality.

Second, the association proposed partial financial support for Vietnamese-origin people living on waterways and along rivers who are subject to relocation, as well as land-use planning to facilitate their resettlement on land and gradual transition to new livelihoods.

Third, it called for children of Vietnamese origin without birth certificates to be allowed to attend Cambodian public schools, and for the association to be permitted to provide free Khmer-language classes for children and adults in line with Cambodia’s Constitution and the Law on Education, particularly policies on literacy eradication, universal education and human resource development.

Finally, the association proposed the two Governments introduce policies supporting its efforts to strengthen its organisational structure and engage younger generations in community activities.

Developing a new generation of community leaders, he said, will help provide greater support for Vietnamese-origin people and foster stronger bonds between Cambodian and Vietnamese youth, contributing to the long-standing friendship between the two countries. — VNA/VNS