On the evening of April 17, President Xi Jinping held talks with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh. The two leaders agreed on jointly building an all-weather China-Cambodia community with a shared future in the new era, and announced designating 2025 as the China-Cambodia Tourism Year.
President Xi pointed out that the ironclad friendship between China and Cambodia is built upon a shared historic legacy, a solid political foundation, and a powerful momentum from within. No matter how the international landscape evolved, the two countries have always led the way in building a community with a shared future for mankind. As transformation unseen in a century accelerates around the world, further advancing the China-Cambodia community with a shared future is fully in line with the fundamental interests of the two peoples. China will, as always, support Cambodia in advancing along a development path suited to its national conditions, support the Cambodian government in achieving successes in governance, and support Cambodia in playing a more important role in regional and international affairs. Building the all-weather China-Cambodia community with a shared future in the new era marks a new starting point in the bilateral relationship. The two sides should ride the momentum, further implement the updated action plan on building the China-Cambodia community with a shared future, strengthen solidarity and cooperation, and accelerate the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative. They should bring their mutual political trust to a higher level, expand their mutually beneficial cooperation of higher quality, ensure greater security, have more frequent people-to-people exchanges, and strengthen strategic coordination of higher standards, so as to deliver greater benefits to the peoples of both countries.
President Xi emphasized the importance to make good use of the China-Cambodia Intergovernmental Coordination Committee, advance the “2+2” strategic dialogue between the foreign and defense ministers of the two countries, and step up exchanges through party-to-party, legislative and other channels, so as to jointly respond to risks and challenges and safeguard shared interests. China is ready to share opportunities and seek common development with Cambodia. The two sides should vigorously advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and continually enrich the “Diamond Hexagon” cooperation framework to inject new impetus into their respective modernization efforts. China encourages more Chinese enterprises to invest in Cambodia. It will keep the mega-size China market open to Cambodia, and import more premium agricultural products from the country. The two peoples should deepen mutual understanding and friendship, and promote civilizational exchanges and mutual learning. China will continue providing government scholarships to Cambodia, support the establishment of a China-Cambodia youth dialogue and exchange mechanism, and encourage more exchanges among local governments, media organizations and think tanks, so that the two peoples will move ever closer to each other. The two sides should take stronger and more effective measures to resolutely crack down on online gambling and telecom fraud, and safeguard public security and normal interactions among regional countries.
President Xi underscored that China and Cambodia, as important forces of the Global South, must keep to their shared values of peace, solidarity and cooperation, oppose all acts of unilateralism and bullying, and practice true multilateralism. The two sides must firmly resist bloc rivalry and camp-based confrontation, strengthen coordination and cooperation within frameworks such as ASEAN and Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, jointly safeguard the hard-won peace and development in the region, and contribute to a community with a shared future for mankind.
Prime Minister Hun Manet stated that Cambodia-China relations have been guided by the spirit of mutual respect and equality over the years, and China is Cambodia’s most reliable and trusted friend. President Xi’s visit is of great significance, as it will deepen political mutual trust and boost efforts to build the all-weather Cambodia-China community with a shared future in the new era. Cambodia congratulates China on its economic and social achievements, and is convinced that China, under President Xi’s strong leadership, will realize its Second Centenary Goal as scheduled. Cambodia appreciates China’s strong support for Cambodia’s economic development and political independence. Cambodia is firmly committed to the one-China policy, and supports China in safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Cambodia remains steadfast in growing friendship with China. It is ready to maintain high-level exchanges, strengthen strategic and security cooperation, and deepen the ironclad friendship with China. China is Cambodia’s largest trading partner and source of foreign investment. Cambodia is ready to strengthen cooperation with China in trade, investment, industrial and supply chains, agriculture, and infrastructure development, jointly combat online gambling and telecom fraud, intensify people-to-people exchanges including in education and culture, and ensure the success of the Cambodia-China Tourism Year. Cambodia highly appreciates China’s constructive role in international and regional affairs, and supports the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind, the three major global initiatives, and the Belt and Road Initiative put forth by President Xi. As unilateralism destabilizes the world, and the multilateral trading system is under pressure, China has demonstrated leadership and provided valuable stability for the world. Cambodia will strengthen coordination and cooperation with China to safeguard the common interests of both sides.
After the talks, the two leaders jointly witnessed the exchange of over 30 bilateral cooperation documents, including on industrial and supply chain cooperation, artificial intelligence, development assistance, customs inspection and quarantine, public health and media.
The two sides issued the Joint Statement Between the People’s Republic of China and the Kingdom of Cambodia on Building an All-Weather China-Cambodia Community with a Shared Future in the New Era and Implementing the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative.
Cai Qi, Wang Yi and Wang Xiaohong attended the above activities.
