China, Cambodia pledge to boost friendship, cooperation

Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni (R) meets with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Aug. 13, 2023. [Xinhua/Wu Changwei]

PHNOM PENH -- Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni met with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi here on Sunday, with the two sides pledging to boost bilateral friendship and cooperation.

Calling China his second hometown, King Sihamoni said he looks forward to visiting more cities in China.

He said this year marks the 65th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations and the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative, expressing heartfelt thanks to all of China's support for and help to Cambodia.

Sihamoni said Cambodia will firmly abide by the one-China principle, carry forward the ironclad friendship between Cambodia and China, and support building a high-quality, high-level and high-standard China-Cambodia community with a shared future in the new era, so as to bring more benefits to the two peoples. Cambodia-China friendship will last forever, he noted.

Hailing the traditional friendship between China and Cambodia as the most valuable common treasure of the two countries, Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that during their meetings this year, the leaders of the two countries have reached essential consensuses on building the China-Cambodia community with a shared future in the new era, drawing up a blueprint for the long-term development of bilateral relations.

"We are ready to work with the Cambodian side to take this as the guide and join hands to promote the construction of the China-Cambodia community with a shared future to a new level," he said.

Wang said that during his visit to the kingdom, he had in-depth communication with its old and new leaderships, dovetailed development strategies, planned cooperation in the next phase, and achieved positive results.

He said he believes that under joint efforts of the two countries, the exemplary relationship of mutual respect, equal treatment and common development between China and Cambodia will make greater progress.

China will work with Cambodia to advance the implementation of the bilateral "diamond hexagon" cooperation consensus and promote the cooperation on "Industrial Development Corridor" and the "Fish and Rice Corridor" to help Cambodia accelerate its development and revitalization and improve the living standards of its people, said Wang. 

Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni (4th R) meets with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (5th L), also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Aug. 13, 2023. [Xinhua/Wu Changwei]