Political trust drives Vietnam-Cambodia partnership forward

Scheduled for July 27-29 at the invitation of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, the visit takes place against the backdrop of increasingly close engagement between the two countries across Party, State, Government and parliamentary channels.

Political trust continues to deepen

Nearly six decades after establishing diplomatic relations in 1967, Vietnam and Cambodia have built a stable political partnership based on the principle of "good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation and long-term sustainability."

The two countries have frequently conducted high-level exchanges in recent years. A notable milestone came in February 2026, when Party General Secretary To Lam paid a state visit to Cambodia, co-chaired a high-level meeting between the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Cambodian People's Party (CPP), and joined a trilateral meeting of the leaders of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

During the visit, leaders agreed to further strengthen political cooperation, safeguard national security and stability, and deepen economic connectivity between the two countries.

Beyond high-level visits, both sides continue to maintain a range of institutional cooperation mechanisms, including annual Party leadership meetings, border provinces cooperation conferences and the Joint Committee on Economic, Cultural, Scientific and Technical Cooperation.

These mechanisms have enabled both governments to coordinate policies, address emerging issues and maintain long-term strategic dialogue.

Political trust supports broader development cooperation

The growing political relationship has increasingly translated into practical economic cooperation.

Vietnam is currently Cambodia's largest trading partner within ASEAN and its third-largest trading partner globally. Bilateral trade reached approximately US$11.3 billion in 2025, while turnover during the first six months of 2026 exceeded US$6.86 billion, up 10.3% year on year. Both countries are working toward raising two-way trade to US$20 billion.

Investment cooperation has also continued to expand. Vietnam currently has 229 active investment projects in Cambodia with total registered capital approaching US$3 billion, placing it among Cambodia's five largest foreign investors. Vietnamese companies including Metfone, THACO AGRI and Angkor Milk continue to play significant roles in Cambodia's economic development.

People-to-people exchanges have also continued to strengthen bilateral ties. Vietnam was Cambodia's largest source of international visitors in 2025, with about 1.22 million Vietnamese tourists traveling to Cambodia, while Vietnam welcomed nearly 700,000 Cambodian visitors during the same period.

Cooperation has also expanded in education, transport, health care, telecommunications and cultural exchanges, including Vietnam Cultural Week in Cambodia held in June 2026. These growing exchanges, particularly among younger generations, are helping reinforce the long-term foundation of friendship between the two neighbouring countries.

Defence and security cooperation is another major pillar of bilateral relations. The two countries continue to coordinate efforts against transnational crime, cybercrime, drug trafficking, human trafficking and online fraud while maintaining peace and stability along their shared border.

Vietnam and Cambodia also work closely together within ASEAN, the United Nations and Mekong subregional cooperation mechanisms.

Parliamentary cooperation gains greater significance

Parliamentary diplomacy has become an increasingly important dimension of bilateral relations.

Following cooperation agreements signed in 2007 and updated in 2022, the two legislatures have expanded collaboration in legislation, parliamentary oversight and institutional development.

Lawmakers from both countries regularly exchange experience through friendship groups, young parliamentarians and women legislators while cooperating to improve legal frameworks that support economic development.

The two National Assemblies also coordinate efforts to facilitate implementation of bilateral agreements, creating more favourable conditions for businesses, investors and citizens.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyen Minh Vu said the visit reflects both countries' shared commitment to strengthening political trust and expanding practical parliamentary cooperation.

Amidst a rapidly changing regional and global landscape, sustained political trust will continue to provide the foundation for broader cooperation in emerging areas such as digital transformation, infrastructure connectivity, logistics, education, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.

The visit by Cambodian National Assembly President Samdech Khuon Sudary is therefore expected to further strengthen legislative cooperation, thereby contributing to a more practical and mutually beneficial Vietnam-Cambodia partnership that supports peace, stability and sustainable development across the region.

Cambodia, Vietnam leverage cross-border e-commerce to hit US$20bn trade target

VOV.VN - The Vietnam E-commerce and Digital Economy Agency (iDEA) under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, in coordination with the Vietnam Trade Office in Cambodia and the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce (CCC), hosted a workshop in Phnom Penh on July 15 to promote bilateral cross-border e-commerce.