Deputy Prime Minister Lê Minh Khái delivers his speech at the ceremony in Hà Nội on Sunday.—VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhsất

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam always treasures and gives high priority to constantly consolidating and strengthening the good, friendly, traditional-neighbourly relationship and comprehensive cooperation with Cambodia, for the benefit of the peoples of the two countries, as well as for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Deputy Prime Minister Lê Minh Khái made the statement at the ceremony commemorating the 45th anniversary of the victory in the fight to defend the southwestern border and, together with the Cambodian army and people, defeat the Pol Pot genocidal regime (January 7, 1979 - January 7, 2024) on Sunday in Hà Nội.

The ceremony was co-held by the Central Committee of the Việt Nam Fatherland Front, the Việt Nam Union of Friendship Organisations and the People's Committee of Hà Nội.

President Võ Văn Thưởng also attended the ceremony.

Khái cited Vietnamese folk verses "The Mekong River still flows for thousands of years, the friendship never fades."

“I believe that the Việt Nam-Cambodia relationship will continue to develop to new levels,” he said.

That was also the wish of the peoples of the two countries as well as of the heroic martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the independence and freedom of the two peoples, he said.

According to Khái, the historic victory was a common victory of the two peoples, firmly protecting the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cambodia and Việt Nam, closing the darkest page of Cambodia's history, saving the people of Cambodia from the genocide, opening a new era for developing in independence, freedom, peace, neutrality and prosperity.

The victory also made an important contribution to maintaining peace and stability in Southeast Asia and the world.

Inheriting the tradition of solidarity and the heroic spirit of January 7, 1979, Việt Nam and Cambodia would continue to promote the relationship of "good neighbours, traditional friendship, comprehensive, long-term sustainable cooperation" to a new level.

Accordingly, the two countries deepen the political relationship, considering it the foundation for cooperative relations, strengthening the pillars of national defence and security cooperation, closely coordinating in foreign affairs, and enhancing effective cooperation in economics, culture, scientific and technical education.

In 2022, Việt Nam-Cambodia trade turnover reached over US$10 billion and the two sides were determined to soon reach $20 billion.

Việt Nam is the country with the second largest number of international tourists to Cambodia in 2023.

The two sides had signed many cooperation documents, especially in the field of connecting the two economies and participating in connecting other countries in the region.

“People-to-people exchanges are increasingly developing with many practical activities,” he said.

More and more Cambodian students were coming to study in Việt Nam.

On this occasion, Khái expressed sincere appreciation to Cambodia for its valuable support and assistance to Việt Nam in the past struggle for national liberation, as well as in the process of building and defending the homeland today.

Speaking at the ceremony, representative of the Cambodian delegation attending the celebration, Deputy Prime Minister Neth Savoeun, said “January 7, 1979 has penetrated deeply into the hearts of Cambodians.”

Every year, Cambodian people always celebrated the important event in the spirit of forever remembering with greatest gratitude the patriots, and especially the Vietnamese volunteer soldiers, who shed blood and sacrificed their lives to overthrow the genocidal regime of Pol Pot and liberate the Cambodian people, he said.

“Without the timely help and support of Vietnamese volunteer troops, the Cambodian people were truly at risk of genocide. I respectfully bow my head to remember the souls of millions of compatriots and comrades in the Vietnamese army, who sacrificed their lives on the international mission to liberate Cambodia from this dark regime," he added.

The valuable relationship between Việt Nam and Cambodia was increasingly tightened through regular contact activities and delegation exchanges at all levels, he said.

According to Deputy Prime Minister Neth Savoeun, the people of the two countries are enjoying great benefits from the achievements of bilateral cooperation, covering many fields of economy, trade, investment, agriculture, transportation, telecommunications, education, culture, sports, national defence, security and tourism.

“Cambodia gives high priority to preserving the tradition of solidarity and mutual support between the two countries,” he said.

They were very pleased with the development of relations between ministries, sectors, border provinces, people and youth.

“We can truly affirm that Việt Nam - Cambodia are typical good neighbours in the world, showing kindness, brotherhood, friendship and loyalty," he said.

The 45th anniversary of the victory is an opportunity for the Parties, Governments and peoples of the two countries to review the history of the struggle to coordinate to fight against the common enemy of the peoples of Việt Nam and Cambodia.

After a victory in 1975, the peoples of Việt Nam and Cambodia wished to live in peace to restore and develop the two countries after many years of war, sacrifice and hardship.

However, immediately after coming to power in April 1975, the Pol Pot group took advantage of the achievements of the revolution, betrayed the Cambodian people and established the so-called "Democratic Cambodia State", implementing an extermination regime, bringing Cambodia into a terrible disaster, unprecedented in history. Thousands of schools and hospitals were closed, millions of innocent people were brutally murdered. In only three years, eight months and 20 days, more than three million Cambodians and tens of thousands of Vietnamese people were brutally murdered.

The Pol Pot group also mobilised most of its main military power to invade the southwest border, seriously violating the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Việt Nam, distorting history, inciting national hatred, and trampling on the good values of the traditional friendship and good relationship between the two peoples of Việt Nam - Cambodia.

Responding to the urgent call of the Cambodian National Solidarity Front for National Salvation, and the Cambodian people to protect the sovereignty of the fatherland, and protect the lives and property of the Vietnamese people, the Vietnamese Party and the State, the army and the people exercised their legitimate right to self-defence, crushed acts of aggression, and together with the armed forces and people of Cambodia, overthrew the brutal genocidal regime on January 07, 1979. VNS