DAP: The breaking news in Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni left here on Monday morning for Vietnam for a 3-day state visit to boost traditional and friendly ties between the two neighbors.

At the Phnom Penh International Airport, the king was seen off by National Assembly President Heng Samrin, Prime Minister Hun Sen, 1st Vice-President of the Senate Say Chhum, senior government officials and royal family members.

In a royal message to his peoples on Sept. 22, the king said that the visit was made at the invitation of Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang. "During my absence, the President of the Senate Chea Sim will assume the title of the acting head of state of Cambodia,"he said.

Cambodia and Vietnam established diplomatic ties on June 24, 1967. The ties have been constantly strengthened and expanded through the exchange of visits by both sides'leaders.

The two neighbors have also had good trade and investment relations.

According to the figure of the Vietnam's Trade Office in Phnom Penh, the two-way trade volume was valued at 1.96 billion U.S. dollars in the first seven months of 2012, a 23 percent rise compared with the same period a year ago.

On the investment side, Vietnam has invested 1.28 billion U.S. dollars in Cambodia from 1994 to July 2012, according to a record of the Council for the Development of Cambodia. The figure did not include Vietnamese investment in the country's banking and finance sectors.