Chinese premier pledges to promote ties with Cambodia to new high

Premier Li Keqiang on Tuesday held talks with visiting Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, pledging to forge ahead the friendship and cooperation with Cambodia to a higher level.

“China and Cambodia share profound traditional friendship, and bilateral relations and cooperation have made great progress. The seeds of friendship have been deeply rooted in the hearts of the two peoples,” Li said. “China is willing to work with the Cambodian side to continue to inject new impetus into bilateral ties in the spirit of mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit and win-win results.”

Li said China would as always firmly support Cambodia following a development path in line with its national conditions, and seek better synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and Cambodia’s development strategy.

“We support Chinese companies to participate in Cambodia’s infrastructure construction and operation in such areas as production capacity, transportation and electricity,” Li said.

The two sides should make joint efforts to contribute to the construction of key cooperation projects, including the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone, smoothly run the “China-Cambodia culture and tourism year” in 2019, and strengthen communication and coordination under the framework of China-ASEAN cooperation and the Lancang-Mekong cooperation.

Li said China was willing to continue providing assistance to Cambodia in accelerating its development and improving people’s livelihoods.

Hun Sen said China was a close cooperation partner of Cambodia. “Cambodia is proud of the great achievements China has made in its 40 years of reform and opening up. The Cambodian side is grateful to China for its long-standing support and great help.”

“Cambodia will work with China to consolidate traditional friendship, further deepen cooperation in infrastructure, production capacity, economy and trade, agriculture, and improving people’s livelihoods, expand people-to-people exchanges, and strengthen cooperation in international and regional affairs, so as to advance great development of Cambodia-China comprehensive strategic cooperation partnership.”

After the talks, the two leaders watched the signing of a series of cooperative documents. The two sides will also issue a joint press communique Wednesday.

Top legislator Li Zhanshu met with Hun Sen earlier Tuesday.

Li, chairman of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said China was ready to work with Cambodia to expand pragmatic cooperation, deepen construction related to the Belt and Road Initiative, promote common development and push forward the bilateral relations to a new level.

He called on legislative departments of the two countries to improve communication and cooperation, provide legal protection for implementing consensus reached by leaders of the two countries, and consolidate the foundation of public opinion so that the two sides could carry on the friendship for generations.

Hun Sen said Cambodia cherished traditional friendship with China and showed gratitude for China’s long-term support and help. He said Cambodia stood ready to work with China to deepen pragmatic cooperation in all fields.

Also on Tuesday, China’s top political advisor Wang Yang met with Hun Sen.

Wang, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said the CPPCC stood ready to enhance cooperation with relevant parties in Cambodia, as well as mobilize sub-sectors of the CPPCC to promote jointly building of the Belt and Road and exchanges in various fields.

Hun Sen said China’s development had brought great opportunities to regional and developing countries. He said Cambodia attached great importance to participating in the Belt and Road Initiative and was willing to accelerate the synergy of development strategies of the two countries, expand bilateral cooperation, to benefit the two countries as well as the two peoples.