Vietnam-Cambodia is a typical example of good neighborly relations in the world.

On the morning of January 7, in Hanoi, the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations coordinated with the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , and the Hanoi People's Committee to jointly organize the 45th Anniversary of the Victory Day of the Southwestern Border Defense War of the Fatherland and the victory of the Cambodian army and people over the genocidal regime (January 7, 1979 - January 7, 2024).

Attending the ceremony on the Vietnamese side were Politburo members: President Vo Van Thuong, Standing member of the Secretariat, Head of the Central Organization Committee Truong Thi Mai; Secretaries of the Party Central Committee: Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai, Head of the Central External Relations Committee Le Hoai Trung; a number of Party Central Committee members, representatives of leaders of ministries, departments, branches, central organizations, socio-political organizations, mass organizations, research institutes, universities; leaders of Hanoi city and provinces bordering Cambodia.

Also attending were leaders of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations ; leaders of the Central Committee of the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Association and the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Associations of the northern provinces and cities; representatives of all walks of life, Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, former experts, former Vietnamese volunteer soldiers who performed international duty in Cambodia and students representing the young generation...

Cambodian delegates included: Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Neth Savoeun and the Cambodian high-ranking delegation; Cambodian Ambassador Chea Kimtha and officials of the Cambodian Embassy in Vietnam; Cambodian students studying in Vietnam.

Also attending the ceremony were Ambassadors, Charge d'Affaires of Embassies of Southeast Asian countries, and representatives of the United Nations in Vietnam.

The anniversary is an opportunity for the Party, Government and people of the two countries to review the history of the struggle to protect the Fatherland and coordinate the fight against the common enemy of the army and people of Vietnam and Cambodia.

This is an extremely important activity, aiming to pay tribute to previous generations who sacrificed and devoted their blood, bones and strength for peace and development of the two nations; to propagate and remind the people of the two countries, especially the young generation, to cherish, preserve, consolidate and develop the special traditional friendship between Vietnam and Cambodia.

Party Central Committee Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai delivered a speech at the ceremony to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the victory in the southwestern border defense war, and the victory of the Cambodian army and people over the genocidal regime. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

Speaking at the ceremony, quoting the folk song “The Mekong River has been flowing for thousands of years. Friendship will never fade,” Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai expressed his belief that the Vietnam-Cambodia relationship will continue to develop to new heights.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that during his State visit to the Kingdom of Cambodia in July 2017, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong emphasized: “History is never forgotten and no one is forgotten. Eternal glory belongs to the outstanding sons who fell for the Fatherland of the two nations.”

“With that spirit, today we together review the history of close solidarity, standing shoulder to shoulder through difficult times, hardships as well as in peace and development between the two peoples of Vietnam and Cambodia,” Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai expressed.

The Deputy Prime Minister recalled that after the victory in 1975, the Vietnamese and Cambodian people earnestly desired to live in peace to restore and develop the country after many years of war, sacrifice and hardship.

However, immediately after taking power in April 1975, the Pol Pot group took advantage of the revolutionary achievements, betrayed the Cambodian people and established the so-called "Democratic Kampuchea", implementing a genocidal regime that plunged Cambodia into a terrible disaster unprecedented in history, thousands of schools and hospitals were closed, and millions of innocent people were brutally murdered.

In just 3 years, 8 months and 20 days, more than 3 million Cambodian people and tens of thousands of Vietnamese people were brutally murdered.

Along with that, the Pol Pot group mobilized most of its main military power to invade the southwestern border, seriously violating Vietnam's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, distorting history, provoking and inciting national hatred, trampling on the good values of the traditional friendship and good neighborliness between the two peoples of Vietnam and Cambodia.

Responding to the urgent call of the Kampuchean National United Front for National Salvation and the Cambodian people, and to protect the sacred sovereignty of the Fatherland and the lives and property of the Vietnamese people, the Party, State, army and people of Vietnam exercised their legitimate right to self-defense, crushed the acts of aggression, and together with the armed forces and people of Cambodia overthrew the brutal genocidal regime on January 7, 1979.

“That is a legal and ethical action, demonstrating the noble, pure, righteous, and devoted international spirit, ready to sacrifice blood and bones for the long-standing, loyal relationship between the Party, State, and people of the two countries; it is a continuation of the tradition of solidarity in the fight against the common enemy of the two nations,” the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai affirmed: This historic victory is a common victory of the people of the two countries, firmly protecting the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cambodia and Vietnam, closing the darkest page of Cambodia's history; saving the Cambodian people from the disaster of genocide; opening a new era of development in independence, freedom, peace, neutrality and prosperity. The victory over the Pol Pot genocidal regime also contributed significantly to maintaining peace and stability in Southeast Asia and the world.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai stated that looking back on the 45-year journey since the victory on January 7, 1979, we are pleased to see that Cambodia, after receiving help from the Party, State, army and people of Vietnam and international friends, has strongly revived. The Cambodian revolutionary armed forces have continuously matured and grown, taking on the mission of protecting, building and developing the country.

Inheriting the tradition of solidarity and heroic spirit of January 7, 1979, the solidarity and mutual assistance, Vietnam and Cambodia continue to bring the relationship of "good neighborliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, long-term sustainability" to a new height.

On this occasion, Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai sincerely thanked the Cambodian people for their valuable support and assistance to Vietnam in the past struggle for national liberation as well as in the current cause of national construction and defense; affirmed that consistently, Vietnam always attaches importance to and gives high priority to continuously consolidating and enhancing the good neighborly relationship, traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Cambodia, for the benefit of the people of the two countries, for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

First Deputy Prime Minister of the Royal Government of Cambodia Neth Savoeun speaks. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

Representing the Cambodian delegation attending the ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Neth Savoeun emphasized that January 7, 1979 has been deeply ingrained in the hearts of Cambodians. Every year, Cambodians always celebrate this important event with the spirit of forever remembering the greatest contributions of patriots and especially the Vietnamese volunteer soldiers who shed blood and sacrificed their lives to overthrow the Pol Pot genocidal regime and liberate the Cambodian people.

“Without the timely help and support of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers, the Cambodian people would have been in danger of genocide. I respectfully bow my head in memory of the souls of millions of Vietnamese compatriots and military comrades who sacrificed their lives in the international mission to liberate Cambodia from this dark regime,” Deputy Prime Minister Neth Savoeun said.

Affirming that Cambodia and Vietnam are two neighboring countries with good and developing relations in all fields, following the motto of good neighborliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, solidity and longevity, Deputy Prime Minister Neth Savoeun said that this valuable relationship is increasingly strengthened through regular contacts and exchanges of delegations at all levels. The people of the two countries are enjoying great benefits from the results of bilateral cooperation covering almost all fields: economics, trade and investment, agriculture, transportation, telecommunications, education, culture, sports, tourism, defense and security.

“Cambodia gives high priority to preserving the tradition of solidarity and mutual support between the two countries, and is very pleased with the development of relations between ministries, sectors, border provinces, front organizations and mass organizations, people and youth. We can truly affirm that Vietnam and Cambodia are typical good neighbors in the world, demonstrating kindness, brotherhood, friendship and loyalty,” Deputy Prime Minister Neth Savoeun emphasized.

At the ceremony, delegates from both countries listened to the sharing of emotions from representatives of former experts and former Vietnamese volunteer soldiers who had performed international duty in Cambodia and representatives of the younger generations of the two countries; and enjoyed performances praising the friendship between Vietnam and Cambodia./.

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