Men Sam An attends the general congress of Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship event in Vietnam’s Tay Ninh Province on November 12. MEN SAM AN VIA FB
The Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association organised a recent two-day general congress with their Cambodian counterparts to ensure continued bilateral relations.
Men Sam An, president of the Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Association, led a delegation from the Kingdom to the event held in Vietnam’s Tay Ninh province from November 11-12.
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The meeting aimed to strengthen people-to-people diplomacy and border cooperation between Cambodia and Vietnam, in order to maintain peaceful borders and ensure mutual development in all fields.
Addressing the conference, Sam An noted that Cambodia-Vietnam diplomatic relations have lasted for 56 years.
“Bilateral diplomatic relations have grown significantly and proved fruitful in all areas, from politics and defence to economics, tourism, trade, culture and science,” she said.
She added that she hoped the two sides will continue to strengthen people-to-people diplomatic ties.
Nguyen Thi Thanh, president of the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association, described how the two countries focused on exchanging and sharing experiences between the border provinces, as well as exchanges of friendship and cooperation between the business members of the two associations.
“These activities demonstrate the strengthening of trust and mutual understanding between us. This will prompt further improvements to the effectiveness of coordination between our two associations. We will contribute to deepen our traditional relationship of solidarity and friendship between the two states and the people of both countries,” she said.
Kin Phea, director of the Royal Academy of Cambodia’s International Relations Institute, believed that to further promote good relations, the two countries should expedite border demarcation negotiations as soon as possible. The negotiations should be based on the principles of international law, historical heritage and colonial heritage.
“In addition to speeding up the demarcation of the border, the two countries must respect the principles of sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs. Both sides should also deal with immigrants with respect to their own interests,” he said.
If we look at the people-to-people relations between the two countries, there is a mutual flow, so there are opportunities to improve trade volume.
“They should further strengthen cooperation in the fields of education, industry and national defence, and work together to combat transnational crimes,” he added.
