(VNA) - A grand meeting took place in Phnom Penh on Monday to celebrate the 34th anniversary of the overthrow of the genocidal Pol Pot regime.

Cambodia’s National Assembly President Heng Samrin said the victory was the fruit of the struggle of the Cambodian people and armed forces under the leadership of the Cambodian United Front for National Salvation with valuable assistance from Vietnamese volunteer soldiers. The triumph ended one of the darkest periods in Cambodian history, laying a foundation for national restoration, construction and development. Cambodia recorded an economic growth of 7 percent in 2012 and expects to maintain this rate this year. The country’s annual per capita income grew to nearly 1,000 USD in 2012 from 760 USD in 2008, while its poverty rate fell to 20 percent in 2012 from 22.9 percent in 2009.