Standing Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu

 On the occasion, Standing Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu granted an interview to the media on the significance of the visit as well as Viet Nam’s role, position in ASEAN and its contributions to the ASEAN Community building.

 Vu highlighted that this is the first official visit to Cambodia by Chinh in his role as the Prime Minister, and it holds great significance in various aspects.

 The visit takes place in the Viet Nam-Cambodia Friendship Year 2022 in celebration of the 55^th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties, and marks the official resumption of comprehensive cooperation following the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in economics, trade and tourism.

 In addition, as this year Cambodia is the host of ASEAN conferences and those between ASEAN and its partners, and Viet Nam is assuming several important multilateral posts, this visit offers an opportunity for the two leaders to exchange views and stances on regional and international issues and support each other at multilateral forums, stated Vu.

 According to him, cooperation in economics, trade and investment, and border, security and defence collaboration will be further stepped up after the visit.

One of the highlights of Chinh’s trip will be the Viet Nam-Cambodia trade, investment promotion forum during which the two leaders are scheduled to deliver speeches, showing the two Governments’ special attention to the business communities and their determination to make economics-trade-investment a pillar in the bilateral relations.

 Regarding defence - security - border cooperation, the two sides are expected to discuss measures to coordinate in preventing and fighting all kinds of crimes, and thoroughly solving the situation of Vietnamese citizens being forced to work illegally in entertainment business establishments in Cambodia; to raise legal status and create favourable conditions for Vietnamese people in Cambodia to do business and live in a stable and convenient manner; and to closely coordinate in border management and protection, promote demarcation and border marker planting to build a borderline of peace, stability, cooperation and sustainable development between the two countries.

 Mentioning Viet Nam’s role and position in ASEAN as well as its contributions to the community building, Deputy Minister Vu stated that Viet Nam has been proactive in promoting and making important contributions to shaping ASEAN's major decisions, and always working as one of the leading countries in promoting efforts and solutions to affirm ASEAN's responsibility and contributions to the common issues of the world and the region.

 Moreover, many cooperation initiatives raised by Viet Nam have gained international applauses, he said, taking practical and urgent solutions to help the ASEAN Community overcome the pandemic as examples.

 With a balanced and harmonious approach, Viet Nam has always been seen as playing the role of a "bridge" helping narrow differences and increase similarities between ASEAN countries as well as between the bloc and its partners, added Vu.

 Regarding the 40^th and 41^st ASEAN Summits and related Summits, the official showed his belief that they will affirm the bloc’s important contributions to peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world./.