Phnom Penh, November 30 (VNA) – The coming official visit to Vietnam by President of the Cambodian National Assembly (NA) Samdech Moha Rathsapheathika Thipadei Khuon Sudary is a new milestone in the continued development of substantive and effective cooperation between the two countries, said Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyen Huy Tang.

In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency ahead of the visit from November 30 to December 2, Tang said the two countries’ NAs signed the first cooperation agreement in April 2007 during an official trip to Cambodia by then Vietnamese NA Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong. The deal provided an important legal basis for the two NAs to expand ties in the fields related to parliamentary functions.

Relations between the two NAs have been enhanced increasingly and growing strongly as seen in frequent mutual visits at all levels and between their committees; the organisation of thematic conferences, workshops, and experience sharing; assistance in personnel training and the implementation of bilateral cooperation projects; close cooperation at international parliamentary forums such as the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU); and the intensification of some trilateral cooperation mechanisms among the specialised committees of the NAs of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, he said.

The 2007 agreement was amended and renewed in 2022 to match the situation of the two NAs’ relations.

Basing on this document, both sides have worked out many concrete measures to foster collaboration between their specialised agencies while creating favourable conditions for parliamentarians to share law-making, supervisory and decision-making experience. They have also coordinated to promote the policies and laws supporting businesses, expatriates, and workers of Vietnam and Cambodia in each other’s countries, and stepped up the joint supervision over issues of common concern, Tang noted.

He went on to say that the two sides have brought into play the legislative bodies’ role and existing mechanisms to bolster bilateral relations, grasped people and businesses’ opinions to facilitate economic, trade, and investment ties, and discussed the legislative bodies’ priority measures in the issuance of policies and laws to assist the two Governments to boost economic development and strengthen connections between the countries’ ministries and sectors.

The upcoming visit by Samdech Moha Rathsapheathika Thipadei Khuon Sudary is her first foreign visit as the NA President of Cambodia, and it holds great significance as it takes place amid the positive progress in bilateral relations.

Notably, the countries worked together to hold many meaningful activities celebrating the 55th anniversary of their diplomatic ties and the Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Year in 2022, Tang continued.
         
The diplomat considered the visit by the NA leader of Cambodia as a new milestone helping further consolidate the two countries’ solidarity, neighbourliness, and friendship; and continue to substantively and effectively develop their comprehensive cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual benefits./.