Cambodia PM Hun Manet to visit Vietnam

The visit will take place Dec. 11-12, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced.

This marks the PM’s first visit to Vietnam since he took office in August.

Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet speaks at the ASEAN Business & Investment Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sept. 4, 2023. Photo by AFP

Hun Manet, 46, is the first Cambodian to graduate from the prestigious U.S. Military Academy West Point.

In addition to his military background, he majored in economics and received a master’s degree from New York University in 2002, as well as a doctorate degree from the U.K.’s Bristol University in 2008.

He became a General in 2018 and was also Commander and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF).

Vietnam and Cambodia established diplomatic relations on June 24, 1967.

Bilateral trade turnover reached more than US$10.57 billion last year, an increase of nearly 11% against 2021.

Two-way turnover in the first nine months this year was $6.5 billion.

Vietnam is currently Cambodia’s third largest trading partner and the neighboring country’s largest trading partner in ASEAN.

Vietnam has 205 ongoing investment projects in Cambodia with a total registered capital of $2.94 billion, ranking number one in ASEAN as well as in the top five countries with the largest total direct investment in Cambodia.

Cambodia ranks second among 79 countries and territories in which Vietnam has invested abroad.

The two nations have continued to boost longstanding defense and security cooperation.

They have completed 84% of their border demarcation and marker erection project while continuing to negotiate the remaining 16%.