Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính (right) had talks with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sar Kheng in Hà Nội on Saturday. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính hosted a reception in Hà Nội on Saturday for visiting Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sar Kheng.

PM Chính affirmed that despite complicated and unpredictable developments of the international situation, the good neighbourliness, traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Việt Nam and Cambodia continued to be consolidated and intensified. Notably, cooperation in security-defence always received special attention by the two countries’ leaders, and had been considered an important pillar in the bilateral ties.

He asked the Cambodian Ministry of Interior and the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security to continue strengthening the fight against all kinds of crimes, especially transnational ones; and coordinating in rescuing and repatriating Vietnamese citizens being detained and forced to work in illegal gambling facilities in Cambodia.

Thanking the Deputy PM and other leaders of Cambodia for paying attention to the Vietnamese community living in the country, Chính proposed that they continue directing authorised offices to carry out appropriate measures to help Vietnamese people deal with difficulties in applying for citizenship, and in resettlement affairs.

As Cambodia will organise many important events this year, including the election of the seventh National Assembly, the 32nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games, the Vietnamese Government would be willing to support and share experience with Cambodia to make these event a success, the Vietnamese PM said.

For his part, Sar Kheng affirmed that Cambodia always bore in mind Việt Nam’s valuable support for its struggle for national liberation in the past and the nation building and development cause at present.

He expressed his belief that with sincere affection, solidarity and mutual trust, the two countries would make the most of their good neighbourhood, time-tested friendship, and all-round cooperation, and work together to solve problems effectively.

The two sides showed their delight at the growing economic cooperation, with two-way trade hitting US$10.6 billion last year, up 11 per cent year-on-year. To date, Việt Nam has had 205 valid investment projects in Cambodia with a total registered capital of $2.94 billion, ranking first in ASEAN and among the five largest foreign investors in Cambodia.

Agreeing that there remains ample room for economic collaboration, the leaders proposed the two countries strengthen infrastructure connectivity and work together to build an independent, self-reliant, and integrated economy. In the immediate future, the two countries should make good preparations for a conference of their border provinces; and inaugurate two new border gates, in order to build a border line of peace, friendship, cooperation and development.

The two sides also agreed to support each other at multilateral forums; back ASEAN's principled stance on the East Sea; uphold international law; fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), build a substantive, valid and effective Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) in accordance with international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). — VNS