Phnom Penh, Cambodia – In a significant move to enhance bilateral relations, China and Cambodia have pledged to deepen their cooperation across various sectors, aiming to build a high-level community with a shared future in the new era.
Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, co-hosted the seventh Meeting of the China-Cambodia Intergovernmental Coordination Committee on Monday with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol in Phnom Penh.
Emphasizing the longstanding friendship between the two nations, Wang Yi stated that the China-Cambodia community with a shared future has become a model for international relations. He called for consolidating political mutual trust, deepening comprehensive cooperation, and advancing projects like the “Industrial Development Corridor” and the “Fish and Rice Corridor”.
“China is ready to bring new opportunities to Cambodia and other countries, providing new paths for nations that wish to maintain their independence and accelerate development,” Wang Yi remarked. He expressed China’s commitment to promoting an equal and orderly multipolar world and inclusive economic globalization, contributing positively to global progress.
Sun Chanthol hailed the meeting as a milestone, being the first intergovernmental coordinating committee meeting following the establishment of Cambodia’s new government and the formulation of the action plan to build a China-Cambodia community with a shared future. He noted that China’s investment in Cambodia continues to grow, trade is expanding, and initiatives like the Belt and Road cooperation and the Global Development Initiative are driving Cambodia’s economic and social development.
“Cambodia is firmly committed to friendship and cooperation with China,” Sun stated, expressing willingness to implement the action plan and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation.
The two sides reaffirmed their adherence to the one-China policy, with Cambodia voicing firm support for China’s efforts toward national reunification. China reiterated its support for Cambodia’s development path aligned with its national conditions and opposition to external interference in Cambodia’s internal affairs.
Both countries agreed to enhance high-level exchanges and share governance experiences. They plan to strengthen defense cooperation, continue joint exercises and training, and promote collaboration in medical and health services, personnel training, and mine clearance. Joint efforts to combat transnational crimes such as online gambling, telecommunications fraud, and drug trafficking were also emphasized.
In the economic sphere, the two nations agreed to finalize the cooperation plan for the “Industrial Development Corridor” and advance the preliminary design of the China-Cambodia Railway. They committed to implementing the China-Cambodia free trade agreement with high quality, supporting the export of high-quality Cambodian agricultural products to China, and encouraging more Chinese enterprises to invest in Cambodia.
Highlighting cultural and people-to-people exchanges, both sides agreed to leverage the “China-Cambodia People to People Exchange Year” to boost tourism, increase flight connections, and enhance practical exchanges among youth, localities, and friendly organizations.
On regional cooperation, China and Cambodia expressed their willingness to strengthen coordination in platforms such as the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation and China-ASEAN cooperation. They emphasized the importance of maintaining regional peace and stability, promoting development and prosperity, and advancing negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) for its early conclusion.
The deepening ties between China and Cambodia reflect a shared vision for mutual growth and stability in the region, marking a new chapter in their longstanding partnership.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
