China Committed to Partnership with Cambodia

Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on May 17.

CHINESE PRESIDENT XI JINPINGsaid that China attaches great importance to ties with Cambodia and stands ready to enhance the comprehensive strategic cooperation and contribute to regional peace and prosperity in his meeting with the Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in Beijing on May 17.

Next year marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties of China and Cambodia, an opportunity to further promote bilateral relations. Xi called on both sides to enhance practical cooperation and implement plans and projects to promote Belt and Road Initiative construction, especially in capacity cooperation and investment. Both countries should strengthen links between their economies and cooperate on trade, law enforcement, security, anti-terrorism and combating cyber crime, while developing peopleto-people exchanges in tourism, culture and education.

For his part, Hun Sen said Cambodia is ready to work with China to consolidate the traditional friendship and on the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. He called on the two countries to expand practical cooperation in development, poverty reduction, health, security, and combating transnational crime, and to strengthen coordination in international and regional affairs.

Later in the day, China and Cambodia issued a joint press communique. In the communique, the two sides expected bilateral trade to reach US$6 billion by 2020. On the South China Sea, both agreed it should be solved through dialogue and coordination by countries directly involved.

The day before, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang held official talks with Hun Sen. They agreed that the two countries will enhance economic cooperation and work together to ensure regional stability and prosperity. The two sides signed a number of documents on cooperation in strategy coordination, infrastructure as well as economic and technological areas.