People need to wear masks and have their body temperatures checked before entering a market in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. — AFP/VNA Photo

HÀ NỘI — Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen on Friday sent a thank-you letter to Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc for Việt Nam’s donation of US$200,000 to support Cambodia’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the letter, PM Hun Sen expressed his thanks to the Vietnamese Government and people for the donation to assist Cambodia in combating COVID-19 as well as PM Phúc’s kind words of encouragement in his letter dated March 31.

“This generous contribution amid Cambodia’s third community outbreak of COVID-19 demonstrates Việt Nam’s spirit of good neighbourliness towards Cambodia in times of need,” he wrote.

The Cambodian PM also commended Việt Nam for successfully containing the outbreak of COVID-19 and reaffirmed Cambodia’s commitment to working closely with its neighbour to overcome this unprecedented global crisis.

He said Cambodia continues to treat all foreigners, including people of Vietnamese origin, the same way as his country treats Cambodian citizens in the protection against the pandemic.

The PM also expressed his appreciation to the Vietnamese Government for providing good treatment to the Cambodian community in Việt Nam during this difficult time.

Cambodia is currently battling its worst outbreak since the beginning of the pandemic, with more than 2,000 cases – including many Vietnamese residing in the country – and 19 deaths recorded since February 20.

For this reason, earlier last week, on behalf of the Vietnamese Government and people, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyễn Quốc Dũng presented the donation worth US$200,000 to Cambodian Ambassador to Việt Nam Chay Navuth to support the Cambodian Government and people in the fight against COVID-19.

In April last year, the Vietnamese Government presented an aid package to Cambodia worth more than VND7 billion ($303,500) that included personal protective clothing, face masks and COVID-19 test kits. — VN