Prime Minister Hun Manet has asked the Vietnamese President to speed up negotiations on the Phnom Penh-Bavet and Bavet-Ho Chi Minh expressways to facilitate trade and tourism exchanges. This proposal was made during the morning of October 18, 2023, when Dr. Hun Manet met with Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong on the occasion of participating in the “Third Belt and Road Forum” in Beijing. In this meeting, Vo Van Thuong congratulated Premier Hun Manet on his appointment as the Prime Minister of Cambodia in the 7th legislature of the National Assembly and sent a message to His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni, King of the Kingdom of Cambodia, and His Majesty Queen Norodom Monineath Sihanouk, and to Mr. Hun Sen. At the same time, the Vietnamese President expressed his optimism that, under the leadership of the Prime Minister of Cambodia, Cambodia will be able to successfully implement all policies set at all levels, both nationally and internationally. Vo Van Thuong also stated that Vietnam still maintains close ties and cooperation with Cambodia for the common benefit of both nations and peoples.In response, Premier Hun Manet thanked the president for the meeting and recalled the meeting with the President of Vietnam four years ago, which was an opportunity for discussions to strengthen and expand cooperation between the two countries. In this regard, the premier noted with pleasure the development of relations in all fields, in which the volume of bilateral trade and the number of tourists between the two countries have increased steadily, and cooperation in the fields of defence and human resource training is also very active. On that occasion, the premier also requested the President of Vietnam expedite the negotiations on the Phnom Penh-Bavet and Bavet-Ho Chi Minh Motorways, which will facilitate trade and tourism. Overall, the two leaders agreed to appreciate the progress of bilateral cooperation in all fields, especially defence, security, trade, investment, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.The Vietnamese President also proposed to increase the exchange of high-level visits by expressing his intention to visit the King, as well as to invite Hun Sen and Hun Manet to visit Vietnam. The premier accepted the invitation by setting an appropriate date in the near future.