Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet and Vietnamese delegation at the 47th commemoration day of the nation’s historical journey leading to the overthrow of the Pol Pot genocidal regime. — VNA/VNS Photo Quang Anh

PHNOM PENH — Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet on June 20 presided over a ceremony at the Techo Koh Thmar X16 military historical site in Tboung Khmum Province to mark the 47th commemoration day of the nation’s historical journey leading to the overthrow of the Pol Pot genocidal regime, gathering more than 3,000 local delegates and many other foreign guests.

The event saw the attendance of Vietnamese guests, including Deputy Minister of National Defence Senior Lieutenant General Võ Minh Lương, Deputy Minister of Public Security Lieutenant General Nguyễn Văn Long, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Đỗ Hùng Việt and Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyễn Huy Tăng.

In his remarks, Cambodian PM Hun Manet stressed that the event was to remember and honour the immense contributions of generations of soldiers and people who bravely laid down their lives for the nation.

Expressing his gratitude for the support of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts for Cambodia’s national liberation cause, he noted that Cambodian leaders and people assisted Việt Nam in its struggle for national liberation and reunification, while their Vietnamese counterparts supported Cambodia in liberating the country from the Pol Pot genocidal regime and in its subsequent national development. This historical truth, he asserted, must be understood clearly by the people of both countries.

On this occasion, PM Hun Manet thanked the Vietnamese Government and People's Army for their assistance in transforming former battlefields into historical sites, fostering peace, friendship, cooperation, and development along the two nations’ border areas.

At the event, the PM awarded orders to individuals who made significant contributions in the repatriation of 49 remains of martyrs of the Kampuchean United Front for National Salvation (KUFNS).

In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency, Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyễn Huy Tăng said that the 47th anniversary served as not only a reminder of the historic struggle against a brutal regime but also a vivid testament to the enduring friendship, solidarity, and relations between the Vietnamese and Cambodian people.

To mark this year's anniversary, Cambodia began construction of a guesthouse worth US$1.2 million and various auxiliary projects within the Techo Koh Thmar X16. Tăng noted that these projects will help enhance the site’s significance, providing better conditions for educating traditions and history for people, particularly younger generations of Việt Nam and Cambodia.

On June 20, 1977, Hun Sen, then 25 years old, and his four comrades crossed Kampong Cham province (now Thbong Khmum) to enter Việt Nam to establish a force to liberate Cambodia and its people. He founded the KUFNS the following year. Together with Vietnamese volunteer soldiers, the force completely defeated the genocidal regime on January 7, 1979, bringing back peace to Cambodia and its people. — VNS