President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen witness the signing and exchange of cooperation documents between the two countries. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA

The joint statement said the visit marked the opening of the Viet Nam - Cambodia, Cambodia - Viet Nam Friendship Year 2022. The two sides agreed to promote high level contacts and delegation exchanges at all levels, encourage people-to-people exchanges, especially between bordering provinces. The two sides underscored the importance of communication and educating the public, especially the youth of both countries, on their time-honored friendship, solidarity and mutual trust.

The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in defense and security, improve the effectiveness of border management and protection; make effective use of the existing cooperation mechanisms and continue joint efforts to search for, retrieve and repatriate remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who sacrificed their lives in Cambodia.

They agreed to strengthen cooperation in the field of public health. The two sides also agreed to promote and improve the effectiveness of cooperation in other important areas such as legal and judicial affairs, labor and social affairs, information and communication technology (ICT), culture, sports, tourism, aviation, banking and finance, agriculture, forestry and fisheries, among others. 

The two sides underlined the importance of working together in addressing the medical, economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this regard, the two sides will accelerate discussions towards mutual recognition of vaccine passports/certificates. 

They exchanged views and agreed to continue the close cooperation and collaboration within the multilateral frameworks to address global and regional challenges, as well as sub-regional frameworks.

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc reaffirmed that Viet Nam would lend its utmost support to Cambodia during the Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2022 under the theme of “ASEAN: Addressing Challenges Together.”

The two sides reiterated ASEAN’s common position on importance of maintaining peace, security, stability, safety, and freedom of navigation in and overflight above the South China Sea, promoting dialogues and trust building, exercising self-restraint, upholding international law, resolving disputes through peaceful means in accordance with international law.