The Vietnamese and Cambodian people have shared ups and downs in history. They have given impartial support to each other’s national salvation cause for freedom and happiness of the two peoples and prosperity of the two countries.
One the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the Vietnam-Cambodia diplomatic relations (June 24, 1967 – 2022), the People’s Army Newspaper introduces articles looking back upon the special historical period of the relationship of the two countries.
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Prime Minister of Vietnam Pham Van Dong and Chairman of the People's Revolutionary Council of Cambodia sign a Vietnam-Cambodia joint statement during his visit to Vietnam in August 1979. |
Foundation of a good relationship
Fifty five years ago, on June 24, 1967, Vietnam and Cambodia officially set up their diplomatic relationship. This important event marked a new page of the bilateral ties. It must be put into the context at that time to see the special significance of the establishment of the bilateral diplomatic ties as well as the strategic importance of Vietnam-Cambodia relations.
Vietnam and Cambodia are neighboring countries with long-standing traditional relationship. The relations have been nurtured by generations of leaders and people of the two countries and become an invaluable, sacred and sustainable asset of the two nations.
In a recent interview granted to reporters of the People’s Army Newspaper, Dr. Kin Phea, Director General of International Relations Institute of Cambodia, said that the two countries are good neighbors living peacefully and helping each other in all circumstances. Mutual understanding on the basis of equality and common interests is the foundation of the good relationship between Vietnam and Cambodia.
Back in the 1960s when the war waged by the U.S. in South Vietnam gradually spread to the whole of Indochina, the Vietnamese, Lao and Cambodian people once again upheld their tradition of solidarity established in the resistance war against the colonialists to continue standing shoulder to shoulder in the long war against the imperialists.
The Conference of the Indochinese Peoples in Phnom Penh in early 1965 was vivid evidence of the traditional relationship, which was considered a great victory of the people of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia in the fight against the common enemy: the U.S. imperialists. After this conference, the relationship between the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the National Liberation Front for South Vietnam and the Kingdom of Cambodia led by Head of State Norodom Sihanouk was increasingly strengthened.
Brilliant manifestation of fighting solidarity
In mid-June, 1967, Prime Minister of Democratic Republic of Vietnam Pham Van Dong, Chairman of the Central Committee of the National Liberation Front for South Vietnam Nguyen Huu Tho and Cambodian Head of State Norodom Sihanouk exchanged letters about establishing diplomatic relations.
In the letter to Head of State Norodom Sihanouk on June 23, 1967, President Ho Chi Minh described the establishment of the bilateral diplomatic relations as “a brilliant manifestation of the close friendship and combat solidarity" and "a historical event in the relationship between Vietnam and Cambodia, a positive factor in maintaining peace in Indochina and Southeast Asia."
Talking with reporters of the People’s Army Newspaper, Cambodian Ambassador to Vietnam Chay Navuth affirmed the importance of the establishment of the diplomatic ties between the two neighboring countries. He said that June 24, 1967 was an important milestone marking a new historic page of the Vietnam-Cambodia relationship. In spite of going through various ups and downs in history, the relationship between the two countries has been consolidated. They have fostered cooperation in various fields and helped each other overcome difficulties and hardships.
The official establishment of diplomatic relations demonstrated the Cambodian people’s valuable support for the Vietnamese people in the national liberation and reunification cause under the leadership of President Ho Chi Minh. According to Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyen Huy Tang, the event also affirmed the sincere support of the Vietnamese people for the Cambodian people’s struggle for national independence, led by Head of State Norodom Sihanouk.
The Vietnamese diplomat said that from that day, the closely-linked fates of the two peoples, their enhanced strength, their will and aspiration for independence and freedom and strong mutual support made people of the two countries more confident in the obvious victory and encouraged them to continue to foster combat solidarity to defeat military operations waged by the U.S., Saigon puppet troops and Lon Nol army.
On the basis of long-standing historical relations and solidarity built up from the anti-colonialist struggle, the establishment of the bilateral diplomatic relations created favorable conditions for the Vietnamese and Cambodian people to continue to stand side by side in the struggle for national independence.
"With iron will and solidarity, troops and people of the two countries won historic victories in the spring of 1975," Ambassador Nguyen Huy Tang added.
(to be continued)
Translated by Tran Hoai