Hanoi (VNA) –Vietnam always attaches importance and gives high priority to consolidating andenhancing the “fine neighbourliness, traditional friendship, and comprehensive,sustainable and long-term cooperation” with Cambodia, National AssemblyChairman Vuong Dinh Hue affirmed on May 14.

During a reception forCambodian Ambassador Chay Navuth, Hue said despite COVID-19, leaders of Vietnamand Cambodia have maintained regular exchanges and bilateral cooperationmechanisms.

The chief legislatorhighlighted the positive growth of the two-way trade that hit 3.89 billion USDin the first four months of this year, up 122 percent year-on-year.

Hue laudedachievements Cambodia has recorded over the past time, as well as the Cambodiangovernment’s strong efforts and measures to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Vietnamese leadersand people always keep a close watch on the pandemic situation in Cambodia, Huesaid, expressing his hope that Vietnam’s support will contribute to thepandemic combat in the neighbouring country.

He used the occasionto thank Cambodia for its attention to the Vietnamese community in the countryamidst the pandemic, including the vaccination towards Vietnamese students and VietnameseCambodians.

Vietnam also plans togive COVID-19 vaccine shots to Cambodian students and citizens, he told theambassador.  

Hue also spoke highlyof the fruitful cooperation between the Vietnamese National Assembly and theCambodian National Assembly and Senate, both bilaterally and multilaterally.

Vietnam and Cambodiahave actively coordinated and assisted each other to organise multilateraldiplomatic events hosted by the respective countries, and provided mutualsupport at regional and international parliamentary forums.

He thanked Cambodiafor backing Vietnam in its role as Chair of ASEAN and the ASEAN Inter-ParliamentaryAssembly (AIPA) in 2020, saying Vietnam stands ready to coordinate with andsupport the Cambodian NA to host the 13th Summit of the Asia-EuropeMeeting (ASEM 13) in late 2021, and fulfill its role as Chair of ASEAN and AIPAin 2022.

He asked the ambassadorto convey his invitations to Cambodian NA President Heng Samrin and Senate President Say Chhum to visit Vietnam ata suitable time.

For his part, ChayNavuth noted his belief that with its active preparations, Vietnam willsuccessfully organise the elections of deputies to the 15th legislature and all-level People’s Councils for 2021-2026 on May 23.

He thanked theVietnamese Party, State and people for gifting a building to the Cambodian NA’sSecretariat and committees, saying the construction is scheduled to begin inlate 2021 or early 2022.

The ambassador alsopraised Vietnam’s assistance to the Cambodian legislature in personnel trainingover the past time./.