Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyen Minh Vu. Photo: VNA  

The upcoming state visit to Cambodia by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam is expected to further strengthen political trust and elevate Vietnam – Cambodia relations to a new level of development that is more closely connected, substantive and effective.

The visit, scheduled for February 6, at the invitation of Cambodian King Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneath Norodom Sihamoni and President of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, will be among General Secretary Lam’s first overseas trips following the 14th National Party Congress.

According to Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyen Minh Vu, this underscores the high priority that the Vietnamese Party and State attach to relations with Cambodia.

The visit reaffirms Vietnam’s consistent policy of valuing the traditional friendship, solidarity and mutual assistance between the two countries as a fundamental pillar for long-term cooperation and shared development in the new era, the ambassador noted, adding that leaders of both sides have repeatedly confirmed that peace, stability and development in one country are also those of the other.

The Vietnamese high-ranking delegation will include Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, along with many Politburo members and senior officials.

During his stay, General Secretary Lam and CPP President Hun Sen will co-chair a high-level meeting between the CPV Central Committee’s Politburo and the Standing Board of the CPP Central Committee, along with a meeting of the three Party chiefs of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

Vu emphasised that the trip will take place against a backdrop of increasingly complex and unpredictable regional and global developments. He noted that 2025 witnessed heightened instability and conflicts worldwide, a trend described in the documents of the 14th Party Congress as “changes of an epochal nature”. In this context, close coordination and strategic cohesion among the three neighbouring countries have become even more significant.

He highlighted that political relations remain the foundation, with Party-to-Party ties guiding bilateral and trilateral cooperation. The forthcoming high-level Party meetings are expected to review cooperation outcomes, exchange views on international and regional issues of shared concern, and set orientations for future collaboration. They will also reaffirm that solidarity and mutual support between the Parties and countries constitute a vital source of strength for national development and defence, as well as a valuable legacy to be preserved for future generations.

Regarding bilateral cooperation, the diplomat pointed out strong progress in recent years, especially in 2025. Trade emerged as a bright spot, with two-way turnover reaching a record 11.33 billion USD, up 11.7% year-on-year, creating a solid stepping stone toward the shared target of 20 billion USD.

Vietnam is currently among Cambodia’s top five foreign investors, with nearly 3 billion USD in registered capital across key sectors such as telecommunications, agriculture, energy, manufacturing and finance. In tourism, Vietnam has become Cambodia’s largest source market with over 1.2 million visitors while Cambodian visitor arrivals in Vietnam have also grown steadily, approximating 690,000.

Looking ahead, the ambassador identified strategic infrastructure connectivity as a major breakthrough area, citing the opening of the Tan Nam – Meun Chey international border gate pair and the potential of an expressway project linking Ho Chi Minh City with Phnom Penh, as well as a maritime route between Kampot and Phu Quoc. Improved connectivity, he said, will reduce logistics costs and enhance competitiveness for both economies.

He showed high expectations for more Vietnamese investors in Cambodia in such fields as high technology, processing, digital transformation, renewable energy, infrastructure, and construction material manufacturing, thereby benefiting businesses as well as bilateral economic, trade, and investment partnerships.

Vu concluded that political trust between the two Parties and States remains the firm “anchor” underpinning the Vietnam – Cambodia relationship. Built on nearly six decades of close ties, this trust provides a solid basis for resolving differences constructively and for advancing comprehensive, effective and sustainable cooperation in a rapidly changing global environment./.