Laos PM visits Cambodia, focusing on post-Covid-19 economic cooperation

PHNOM PENH, Nov 30 (Xinhua): Cambodia on Monday night (Nov 29) rolled out its red carpet for the official visit of Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh after the country had managed to bring the Covid-19 outbreak under control.

Phankham is the first foreign leader to visit Cambodia after the kingdom reopened its borders to fully vaccinated travelers in the middle of this month, buoyed by high vaccination rates.

The Lao leader, on his two-day visit to Cambodia, was warmly welcomed by Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen with a brass band and guard of honor at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia.

Then, the two prime ministers held talks with a focus on bilateral ties and cooperation, including the post-Covid-19 socio-economic recovery, Eang Sophalleth, a personal assistant to the Cambodian prime minister, told reporters.

He said both leaders agreed to further promote bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, education, culture, tourism and security along the border of the two countries for mutual benefits.

"During the talks, Samdech Techo Hun Sen decided to provide a cash donation of 13 million US$500,000 doses of Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine as well as two vaccine-carrying vehicles to the Lao government," Sophalleth said.

Meanwhile, Phankham vowed to support Cambodia to help make its chairmanship of Asean in 2022 a success and also expressed his profound condolences over the passing away of Cambodian Prince Norodom Ranariddh.

Cambodia has seen a remarkable decline in new Covid-19 cases in recent months after most of its population have been vaccinated against the virus.

The South-East Asian nation reported a daily record of 25 new Covid-19 cases on Monday, lifting the national total caseload to 120,112, the Ministry of Health said, adding that four more fatalities had been confirmed, bringing the overall death toll to 2,935. - Xinhua