Vietnam-Cambodia relationship constantly flourishes

Hanoi (VNA) - Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni will pay an official visit to Vietnam from June 24-26 at the invitation of State President Nguyen Minh Triet.

This is the Cambodian King's second visit to Vietnam . His first visit was made in March 2006.

The visit aims to consolidate the close relationship between the two
countries' leaders, enhance and develop the traditional friendship, good
neighbourliness and all-round cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia
. It is also intended to affirm major principles in the ties that were
agreed between the two countries' leaders, discuss a number of issues in
bilateral relations, promote cooperation and facilitate the settlement of a
number of existing issues.

Enjoyed the special attention of their leaders, the two neighbouring
countries' relationship has developed under the motto "good neighbour,
traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation and long lasting
stability". The exchange of high-level delegations between the two
countries has been unceasingly consolidated, thus helping to accelerate
mutual trusts.

The exchange of visits by the two countries' ministries, branches, mass
organisations and localities, especially border provinces, has increased,
making important contributions to the enhancement of the open, sincere and
trustful relations between Vietnam and Cambodia .

The Vietnam-Cambodia economic, trade and investment relations has
constantly developed in conformity with their political ties, potential and
strengths. Two-way trade value saw an average increase of 40 percent per
year, reaching 1.181 billion USD in 2007, a 30 percent increase over the
same period of 2006. In the first four months of the year, the amount hit
552 million USD, a 41.4 percent year-on-year increase. Both countries agreed
on a number of measures to promote economic ties and strive to raise two-way
trade turnover to 2 billion USD in 2010.

Vietnam 's investment capital in Cambodia has increased to around 100
million USD. Vietnamese businesses invest mainly in exploring and exploiting
minerals and oil and gas in Cambodia and cooperate with their Cambodian
partners in planting rubber trees, developing traffic infrastructure
facilities and building hydro-electric power plants and power transmission
lines.

Fine results were also seen in the two countries' cooperation in
healthcare, education, science and technology. Vietnam has agreed to grant
100 long-term and 450 short-tem scholarships to Cambodian students this
year, and Cambodia granted scholarships to Vietnamese officials to study
the Khmer language in Cambodia . Cambodia has highly valued Vietnam
for its humanitarian activities such as providing medical check-ups and eye
surgery to poor Cambodians living in border provinces.

Both countries have also closely coordinated with each other in
international and regional forums, contributing to raising their prestige
and position in the region and the world. Bilateral cooperation in
international and regional organisations has also been fastened.

Good neighbourliness and cultural similarities have helped develop the
traditional relationship between the Vietnamese and Cambodian people. The
official Vietnam visit by Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni beginning on June
24 - the day Vietnam and Cambodia established their diplomatic ties - will
promote the traditional friendship, good neighbourliness and all-round
cooperation between the two counties.-Enditem