President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (Photo: VGP)

Speaking to Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Phnom Penh on the occasion of President Nguyen Xuan Phuc's upcoming visit to Cambodia from December 21-22, Ambassador Tang said that Vietnamese and Cambodian people have shared long-standing friendship, which plays an important role in the development in each country.

He stressed that without the support of the international community and Cambodia, Vietnam would not have been able to secure resources for its struggle to liberate the south and reunite the country. Meanwhile, without the timely and effective assistance from the People’s Army of Vietnam, Cambodia would not have been able to eliminate the Pol Pot genocidal regime and revive its nation.

The ambassador highlighted that the Vietnam-Cambodia relationship is developing under the motto of "good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, and comprehensive, sustainable and long-term cooperation,” playing an increasingly important role in the development and international integration of each country.

According to the ambassador, despite ups and downs in history, the Vietnam-Cambodia ties have overcome all challenges to continuously thrive. He said in celebration of the 55th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations (June 24, 1967-2022), the two sides will focus on a number of major tasks to further boost their ties, first of all strenghtening the already sound political relationship, which guides the overall relations.

Along with enhancing awareness of both sides on the strategic and vital significance of the bilateral ties to each country's national construction and defence, they will work closely together to reinforce political trust and build a firm social foundation for the development of the ties, he said.

The diplomat went on that Vietnam and Cambodia should beef up their collaboration in security, defence and diplomacy, while coordinating closely at regional and international multilateral forums to help Cambodia complete its task as the ASEAN Chair in 2022.

Both sides will work to improve the efficiency of their economic cooperation, creating new motivation for growth in both countries and a factor ensuring the sustainable development of bilateral relationship.

At the same time, they will continue to bolster their partnership in culture, education-training, health care, and science-technology. In 2022, they will coordinate to organise a culture and a film week in each other’s country, while promoting educational activities among people, especially the youth, on the bilateral traditional friendship, he added.

In addition, Vietnamese and Cambodian ministries, sectors and localities as well as people’s associations and organisations will promote mutual support, thus contributing to deepening the comprehensive ties between the two countries.

Regarding what the two countries can do to contribute to the socio-economic recovery in the ASEAN and region, Ambassador Tang said that they can continue to call for the international community’s support to ASEAN COVID-19 Response Fund, while sharing with regional countries their experience in controlling the pandemic, fostering economic connectivity and fixing the disruption of supply, production and sale chains.

Alongside, the sound relationship between the two countries will contribute to promoting economic connections and cooperation among ASEAN member countries, thus helping implement common goals of the association, including the ASEAN Economic Recovery Framework, and draft long-term strategies and proper recovery solutions to resume sustainable socio-economic development in the region, he stated.