Party General Secretary Tô Lâm meets with officials and staff of the Vietnamese Embassy and representatives of the Vietnamese community in Cambodia on Friday. — VNA/VNS Photo

PHNOM PENH — Party General Secretary Tô Lâm met with officials and staff of the Vietnamese Embassy and representatives of the Vietnamese community in Cambodia on February 6 as part of his state visit to the neighbouring country.

Also present at the meeting were Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn, and members of the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation; representatives of the Khmer-Vietnamese Association in Cambodia (KVA), the Vietnam-Cambodia Business Association (VCBA), and a large number of intellectuals, students, and overseas Vietnamese in Cambodia.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyễn Minh Vũ stressed that in recent times, under the direction of the Politburo and Party General Secretary Tô Lâm, Việt Nam-Cambodia relations have been strongly promoted and developed positively, while defence and security cooperation between Việt Nam and Cambodia remains an important pillar, and high-level exchanges between the two sides have been stepped up.

Economic cooperation is a highlight, with bilateral trade turnover reaching a record high of US$11.33 billion in 2025, an increase of 11.7 per cent compared to 2024. Many Vietnamese enterprises are interested in investing and expanding production and business in Cambodia. Coordination between the two countries in resolving issues related to community work and citizen protection has also been strongly promoted.

The Ambassador reported to the Party General Secretary and leaders of the Party and State a number of recommendations regarding the legal status and livelihoods of the community, as well as obstacles requiring support and removal of obstacles related to investment and business procedures.

Speaking at the meeting, Party General Secretary Tô Lâm stressed that his state visit to Laos and Cambodia is of special significance, being the first overseas trip by a leader of the Vietnamese Party and State immediately after the 14th National Party Congress, clearly demonstrating the consistent policy of the Vietnamese Party and State to treasure and prioritise Laos and Cambodia.

He informed the participants of the domestic situation, especially the results of the 14th National Party Congress. The congress identified the vision and development orientation of the country in the future, with the determination to achieve development goals with high unity of the entire political system and the unanimous support of the people, the Party leader noted.

Concerning the suggestions from the people and businesses, the Party General Secretary affirmed that these are issues that have been understood, prioritised, and consistently addressed by leaders of the Party, State, and relevant agencies and departments of Việt Nam throughout the past period.

During exchanges with Cambodian leaders, Vietnamese Party and State leaders consistently requested Cambodia to continue implementing favourable policies to help people of Vietnamese origin live, work, and study in accordance with Cambodian law, as well as effectively carry out relocation, resettlement, and vocational retraining programmes.

They also suggested Cambodia create more favourable mechanisms to help Vietnamese businesses invest and operate effectively in Cambodia, thereby contributing to Cambodia's national development. Furthermore, during this visit, leaders of the two Parties and countries reached a high degree of consensus on directions to promote and strengthen relations in the future, such as promoting strategic connectivity, telecommunications, finance, and taxation.

Alongside economic cooperation, greater attention should also be paid to cooperation in science and technology and human resource development, he said, adding that Việt Nam will continue to cooperate in training Cambodian students to learn Vietnamese and Vietnamese people to learn Cambodian, while expanding cooperation in cutting-edge scientific fields such as artificial intelligence and core technologies.

In particular, the Cambodia-Việt Nam Friendship School project, the largest school in Phnom Penh with 6,000 students, is being diligently completed by the end of this year. The cooperative relationship between Việt Nam and Cambodia is becoming increasingly substantive and effective in all fields, from economy and culture to security, according to the Party chief.

On the occasion of the upcoming Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026, Party General Secretary Lâm extended his best wishes for health, happiness, and prosperity to all members of the Vietnamese community in Cambodia, hoping they will always look towards the homeland with the warmest sentiments.

The Party chief also donated $20,000 to the KVA to support the organisation of more meaningful activities for the community. In addition, he also presented 200 gifts worth $6,000 to help and encourage people in difficult circumstances. — VNA/VNS