Cambodian students in Việt Nam at a scholarship grant ceremony. More than 1,000 Cambodian students are currently studying in Việt Nam, but no public universities in Cambodia have offered a diploma in the Vietnamese language before. —VNA/VNS Photo

 PHNOM PENH — Establishing a Vietnamese-language faculty at Cambodia’s Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) benefits the Cambodian people and helps strengthen the two countries’ relations, Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Tuesday. 

At a graduation ceremony of students of Asia Euro University held in Phnom Penh, he said the new establishment would encourage Cambodians to turn their attention to Việt Nam and benefit those living in areas bordering Việt Nam and boost trade and job creation.

It will allow Cambodian students to receive training in the language before pursuing education in the neighbouring country, he said.

More than 1,000 Cambodian students are currently studying in Việt Nam, but no public universities in Cambodia have offered a diploma in the Vietnamese language before.

In an August 19 press conference, the Cambodian Minister of Education, Youth and Sport, Hang Chuon Naron, said the faculty is only for Cambodian students who get scholarships to study in Việt Nam and others with interest in the language.

He said he believes it will provide opportunities to boost trade between the two countries and increase the number of Vietnamese investors in Cambodia.

The minister added that RUPP is already conferring Bachelor’s degrees in English, French, Japanese, Chinese, Thai and Korean.

Beefing up cooperation

Lê Hoài Trung, Chairman of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations, paid a courtesy call on the Vice President of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairwoman of the CPP Central Committee’s Mass Mobilisation Commission Men Sam An on Tuesday as part of his ongoing official visit to Cambodia.

During the meeting, the Vietnamese official spoke highly of Cambodia’s achievements in domestic and foreign affairs, expressing a belief that under the Cambodian King’s wise reign, the leadership of the Senate, the National Assembly and the CPP, and the government’s administration, Cambodia will continue to gain greater achievements and successfully hold the NA election in 2023.

He said that the Vietnamese Party, State, and people treasure and remember the support of their Cambodian counterparts in the cause of national liberation and reunification as well as in the current process of national construction and defence.

While emphasising that the tradition of solidarity and cooperation between Việt Nam and Cambodia is an objective rule and an important factor for security and development in each country, Trung said he hoped the two parties would continue to coordinate closely in promoting cooperation between the CPV and CPP Central Committees’ commissions, friendship associations and people-to-people diplomatic activities.

Men Sam An, also Chairwoman of the Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Association, highlighted the important role of the relationship between the two ruling parties in Cambodia-Vietnam relations.

She thanked the Party, State, Army and people of Việt Nam for their great support for Cambodia, expressing her hope that the CPV and CPP Central Committees’ Commissions for External Relations, as well as the CPP Central Committee’s commissions, will enhance information exchange, experience sharing and friendship exchange to promote cooperation.

On the same day, the Vietnamese official had a working session with leaders of the CPP Central Committee’s commissions, during which Trung briefed participants on Việt Nam’s situation and cooperative relations between the two political parties.

He said the CPV and CPP Central Committees’ commissions should continue to promote the tradition of solidarity, thus expanding cooperation in various fields, in accordance with the functions and tasks of each party, including enhancing the exchange of information and experience on personnel organisation, inspection and supervision, mass mobilisation and foreign affairs.

Chief of the CPP Central Committee’s Office, Mom Sarin and leaders of the CPP Central Committee’s commissions showed their wish to enhance information exchange, experience sharing and cooperation with the CPV Central Committee commissions. —VNS