PHNOM PENH: Cambodia has urged Vietnam to accelerate negotiations on the development of the Phnom Penh-Bavet and Bavet-Ho Chi Minh City expressways, which will boost trade and tourism between the two neighboring countries.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet made the request in a meeting with Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong in Beijing on Wednesday, on the sidelines of the 3rd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.

PM Hun Manet also expressed satisfaction with the growing bilateral relations between the two countries, including the increase in trade and tourism, as well as cooperation in defense and human resource training.

President reaffirmed Vietnam's commitment to maintaining close ties and cooperation with Cambodia for the mutual benefit of the two nations and peoples.

He also suggested increasing the exchange of high-level visits, expressing his intention to invite Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, former Prime Minister Hun Sen, and Hun Manet to visit Vietnam.

The two leaders also spoke highly of the progress of Cambodia-Vietnam cooperation in all areas, especially defense, security, trade, investment, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.

On May 18, 2023, a Public-Private Partnership Agreement was signed between Cambodian Senior Minister and Minister of Public Works and Transport Sun Chanthol and Zhou Yong, representative of China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), for the construction of the Cambodian second expressway, Phnom Penh-Bavet expressway.

The project, which is 135.10 km long and runs through Kandal, Prey Veng, and Svay Rieng provinces, will be built at a cost of approximately $1.35 billion, with a construction period of 4 years under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) investment form. The expressway will be 4 lanes and operate for 50 years before being transferred to the Royal Government.