Representatives at the meeting. — 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, and Vice President of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) Samdech Men Sam An met with a large number of Cambodian alumni who had studied in Việt Nam, in Phnom Penh on Friday.

Addressing the gathering, Tú noted that his visit takes place at a particularly meaningful time, as the Cambodian people are preparing to celebrate their traditional New Year festival, Chol Chnam Thmey. He said the visit contributes to strengthening political trust, solidarity, close ties and mutual support between the two Parties and countries, factors of vital importance and a major source of strength in each nation’s struggle for independence, national defence and development.

Việt Nam is pleased to see the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties and countries continuing to develop positively across all fields, he added.

Tú expressed his appreciation for the practical and effective contributions made by generations of Cambodian students who studied in Việt Nam. Serving in various roles across the Party, the State, ministries, localities and businesses, these alumni have effectively applied their knowledge and experience to contribute to Cambodia’s development, while also playing an important role in promoting mutual understanding, trust and cooperation between the two countries.

He voiced his confidence that in the time ahead, the alumni would further enhance their roles not only as bridges of friendship, but also as proactive contributors proposing and implementing practical cooperation initiatives in areas such as economy, trade, investment, education and people-to-people exchanges, thereby deepening the traditional solidarity, friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Việt Nam and Cambodia in the new context.

The senior Party official also acknowledged recommendations raised by Cambodian alumni at the event, noting that relevant Vietnamese agencies would study and address them in due course.

For her part, Men Sam An, who is also Chairwoman of the Cambodia–Vietnam Friendship Association and President of the National Council of the Solidarity Front for the Development of Cambodia Motherland (SFDCM), emphasised that bilateral relations are historic in nature, marked by shared prosperity and hardship, and mutual support under all circumstances.

Over the past decades, the Vietnamese Government has provided scholarships for numerous Cambodian students to study in Việt Nam, who now represent a valuable source of human resources for the countries’ cooperation. The association places great importance on preserving and promoting the long-standing traditional friendship based on mutual respect, while contributing actively to the sides’ peace, stability and development, she said.

On this occasion, Men Sam An also expressed deep gratitude to the Party, State and people of Việt Nam for their consistent support for Cambodian students, particularly in human resource training.

Uch Leang, President of the Cambodia Alumni From Vietnam Association, affirmed that former students would continue to nurture and promote the friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries to new heights in the future.

On the occasion, Cambodian alumni expressed their sincere appreciation to the Party, State and Government of Việt Nam for consistently supporting human resource training through scholarship programmes, which they described as a vital foundation for Cambodia’s development and prosperity, as well as for strengthening the bilateral friendship and solidarity. — VNA/VNS