Politburo member and Permanent Member of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee’s Secretariat Trần Cẩm Tú (left) and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet. — VNA/VNS Photo Phương Hoa

PHNOM PENH — Politburo member and Permanent Member of the Communist Party of Việt Nam (CPV) Central Committee’s Secretariat Trần Cẩm Tú met with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet in Phnom Penh on Friday, within the framework of his official visit to Cambodia.

At the meeting, Tú conveyed greetings and best wishes from Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng to Prime Minister Hun Manet on the occasion of Cambodia’s traditional New Year Chol Chnam Thmey. Congratulating Cambodia on its recent development achievements, he expressed his confidence that under the determined leadership of the Government headed by PM Hun Manet, Cambodia will continue to record impressive economic growth and achieve its development goals.

He also appreciated the valuable support extended by generations of Cambodian leaders and people to Việt Nam in its past struggle for national independence and its ongoing cause of national construction and defence.

The Cambodian PM congratulated Việt Nam on successfully consolidating its high-ranking leadership following the 14th National Party Congress and the election of deputies to the 16th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026–31 term. He showed his belief that under the sound leadership of the CPV, headed by Party General Secretary and President Tô Lâm, Việt Nam will achieve double-digit growth and realise its goals of becoming a developing country with modern industry and upper-middle income by 2030, and a high-income developed nation by 2045.

He also took this occasion to extend congratulations to the Party General Secretary and President, Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng, and National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn on their recent elections at the 16th NA’s first session.

The two sides exchanged views on their respective nation’s situations and noted that amid increasingly complex and unpredictable regional and global developments, solidarity and close cooperation between Việt Nam and Cambodia, as well as among Việt Nam, Cambodia and Laos, should be further strengthened.

The senior Vietnamese official reaffirmed that Việt Nam consistently attaches great importance and gives high priority to consolidating and enhancing the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Cambodia, considering it a valuable shared asset of both nations with strategic significance for the stability and development in each country.

To further deepen bilateral ties, both sides agreed to strengthen political trust, effectively implement outcomes of high-level visits, and work towards building and signing a joint action programme to realise bilateral commitments. They also agreed to intensify delegation exchanges at all levels, especially at the high level, expand cooperation across ministries, sectors and localities, and promote people-to-people exchanges.

The two sides pledged to enhance connectivity in trade, investment, infrastructure, banking-finance and supply chains; and create favourable conditions for businesses to expand cooperation, with the goal of raising bilateral trade turnover to US$20 billion. They also agreed to strengthen collaboration in education and training, particularly in developing high-quality human resources, and to enhance coordination in combating crime, including cross-border crime, while continuing efforts in border demarcation and marker planting and building a border of peace, friendship, cooperation, and sustainable development.

Both sides also underscored the importance of promoting public awareness of the traditional friendship, solidarity and mutual assistance between the two countries, particularly among younger generations, thereby reinforcing the social foundation and long-term public support for bilateral relations.

Tú proposed close coordination in preparing for activities marking the 60th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations (June 24, 1967 – June 24, 2027). On this occasion, he also suggested Cambodia continue to pay attention to addressing the legal status of people of Vietnamese origin in Cambodia, enabling them to stabilise their lives and contribute to the country’s prosperity as well as bilateral ties. — VNA/VNS