Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyễn Huy Tăng. — VNA/VNS Photo

PHNOM PENH — National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn’s upcoming official visit to Cambodia aims to solidify, nurture, and expand the two countries’s comprehensive and enduring relationship guided by the principle of "good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, and long-term sustainability" while underscoring Vietnam's commitment to addressing regional and global issues, Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyễn Huy Tăng has said.

In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency ahead of the trip from November 21 to 24, Tăng highlighted that this is Mẫn’s first official visit to the neighbouring country in his capacity as the top legislator. During the visit, he will also represent Vietnam’s Party and NA at two major international conferences hosted by Cambodia, namely the 12th General Assembly of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) and the 11th Plenary Session of International Parliament for Tolerance and Peace (IPTP).

According to the diplomat, the NA leader and his Cambodian counterpart, Samdech Moha Rathsapheathika Thipadei Khuon Sudary, are scheduled to co-chair the inauguration ceremony of the Cambodian NA's new administrative building. This 12-storey facility, valued at US$25 million, is a gift from the Vietnamese Party, State, and people. Its construction began in December 2021 and was completed after nearly three years. The building is considered a symbol of the enduring friendship between the two nations, as emphasised by Cambodian NA Secretary General Leng Peng Long.

Tăng went on expressing his optimism about the Việt Nam-Cambodia relationship in the years to come. While challenges remain, the two nations have significant opportunities to elevate their partnership, especially as Cambodia enjoys peace and stability.

Beyond traditional areas of collaboration, the ambassador identified potential new fields for cooperation, including high-tech, digital technology, green technology, clean energy, digital transformation, processing industries, information technology, and artificial intelligence.

On key priorities for the bilateral relationship, the diplomat pointed to the maintenance and promotion of political ties to provide strategic direction for the overall relationship. It is also necessary to overcome challenges and seize opportunities for cooperation improvements across fields, particularly economy, as well as to maintain close collaboration in security, defence, and diplomacy to ensure peace and stability for both nations. Other priorities are to encourage practical cooperation between the sides’ ministries, parliaments, localities, and social organisations to strengthen people-to-people connections, and to educate citizens, especially the youth, about the historical ties between the two countries.

The ambassador said the legislative bodies of Việt Nam and Cambodia have maintained strong and growing cooperation. Việt Nam has participated in every ICAPP General Assembly since the beginning of its membership, and made its debut at IPTP-11 as a special guest at Cambodia's invitation..

The top legislator’s attendance at both conferences underscores Việt Nam’s respect for Cambodia’s hosting and reflects the rising influence and credibility of Việt Nam on the international stage, Tang said. He affirmed that Việt Nam stands ready to engage in regional and global forums to contribute to peace and happiness of humanity. — VNS