HANOI - General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong will pay an official visit to Cambodia on December 6-8 to consolidate bilateral ties, reported Vietnam News Agency on Monday.

The visit, the first since Trong becoming the top leader of the Vietnamese Party, manifests Vietnam's special attention to develop relations with neighboring countries and to bring it to a deep, stable and long-term sustainable level.

The country pursues a consistent policy to develop traditional friendship and solidarity and comprehensive cooperation with Cambodia, and promote the effective implementation of the agreements on bilateral cooperation, said the report.

Both Vietnam and Cambodia have applied a foreign policy of openness, multi-lateralization and diversification of foreign relations, and attached importance to consolidating and expanding relations and cooperation between the two countries.

Over the past years, with great efforts from both sides, bilateral cooperation has constantly developed in all fields, becoming an important factor to contribute to maintaining an environment of peace and long-term stability to develop socio- economic development, and secure national independence and sovereignty of each country.

Two-way trade turnover reached $1.9 billion in 2010, which is expected to increase to $2.4 billion in 2011.

So far, Vietnam has 98 projects in Cambodia, with registered capital of $2.2 billion, in various fields including airlines, rubber and banking.

The two sides have jointly built and upgraded some border gates and economic zones and cooperated in farming, industrial crops, forestry, seafood and transport.

Vietnam and Cambodia have made regular exchange of visits at different levels, shared experience and coordinated at international forums such as the United Nations, ASEAN, ASEM, and expanded regional multi-lateral cooperation in the Mekong sub- region and along the East-West economic corridor, said the report.