Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Phạm Bình Minh holds up the document ratifying border agreements with Cambodian counterpart at the 18th Việt Nam-Cambodia Joint Commission of Economic, Cultural, Scientific and Technological Cooperation held Tuesday in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Lâm Khánh

HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Phạm Bình Minh and his Cambodian counterpart Prak Sokhonn on Tuesday co-chaired the 18th Việt Nam-Cambodia Joint Commission of Economic, Cultural, Scientific and Technological Cooperation held via video conference.

The two foreign ministers were glad to report that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the comprehensive partnership between Việt Nam and Cambodia had been continuing to flourish, as mutual trust was increasingly consolidated via phone calls, high-level summits and other bilateral mechanisms, and cooperation between sectors and localities promoted, according to the Vietnamese foreign ministry.

The two sides had also supported each other in the fight against COVID-19 and maintained undisrupted trade along the border between the two countries, they said.

In the first 10 months of 2020, bilateral trade hit US$4.22 billion and would likely reach $5 billion by the end of this year.

Việt Nam had nine new investment projects in Cambodia, bringing the total active projects in the country to 186 with registered capital reaching $2.76 billion.

The two sides had discussed extensively the results of the implementation of agreements and cooperation programmes since the 17th meeting of the Joint Commission in the fields of politics-diplomacy, defence-security, trade-investment, culture, education-training, other areas of cooperation as well as cooperation at regional and international forums.

The two sides also talked at length about the directions and specific measures to deepen the comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

Accordingly, the two sides agreed to continue to maintain talks, high-level consultation and bilateral mechanisms, effectively implement the signed agreements, and coordinate in bilateral activities on foreign affairs in 2021; actively educate the public – especially the younger generation – in the two countries about the friendship and the fruits of cooperation between Việt Nam and Cambodia; coordinate the holding of important events; implement the Protocol and the Cooperation Plan on Defence and Security; expedite the search and repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese volunteers and experts who sacrificed their lives in Cambodia.

The two sides also agreed to maintain and facilitate economic, trade and investment cooperation activities, implement economic and trade cooperation agreements – including Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement and Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement; to sign the border trade agreement and coordinate to develop the management regulations of border markets; create favourable conditions and remove difficulties and problems for businesses of the two countries; promote cooperation in industrial activities, development of transport infrastructure, and sectors including health, labour, culture, sport and tourism; to encourage the ministries, sectors and localities of the two countries to strengthen cooperation and mutual support.

The two ministers welcomed the signing and ratification of two important documents on the Việt Nam-Cambodia border – the Supplementary Treaty to the 1985 Treaty on the Delimitation of National Boundaries and the Supplementary Treaty to the 2005 treaty (known in short as the 2019 Supplementary Treaty), and the protocol on land border demarcation and marker planting between Cambodia and Việt Nam.

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Phạm Bình Minh (right) and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn. — VNA/VNS Photo Lâm Khánh

The two sides agreed to continually enhance the effectiveness of border management and protection, and to exchange information and deal with incidents in the spirit of cooperation and friendship.

The two foreign ministers agreed to continue to discuss and have measures to help people of Vietnamese origin in Cambodia on legal documents, and fulfilling the requirements to become Khmer citizens and create favourable conditions for people of Vietnamese origin residing at Cambodia’s Tonlé Sap Lake area to resettle, stabilise their lives and integrate into local communities.

Vietnamese and Cambodian ministers noted with satisfaction the effective cooperation between the two countries at regional and international forums, especially within the ASEAN cooperation framework, subregional cooperation frameworks, including cooperation in efficient and sustainable use of water resources in the Mekong River.

Việt Nam highly appreciated Cambodia's support and cooperation this year when Việt Nam assumes the Chairmanship role of ASEAN, and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2020-21 term.

The Vietnamese foreign minister pledged to support Cambodia in hosting the 13th Asia-Europe Summit in 2021.

At the end of the meeting, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Phạm Bình Minh and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn signed the memorandum on the agreement of the meeting.

Under the agreement, the 19th meeting of the Việt Nam-Cambodia Joint Commission will be held in 2021 in Cambodia. — VNS