Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Cambodia, the last stop of his three-nation tour of Southeast Asia, on the 17th and delivered a written speech, emphasizing that China regards Cambodia as a key direction in its peripheral diplomacy.
According to China's CCTV News, Xi arrived in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh by special plane in the morning. Upon the plane's arrival at Phnom Penh International Airport, Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni and People's Party Chairman and President of the Senate, Hun Sen, came to welcome him.
Xi attended the welcome ceremony held by Sihamoni and inspected the Cambodian honor guard under Sihamoni's accompaniment.
In his written speech at Phnom Penh International Airport, he stated that China and Cambodia support each other in maintaining national stability and promoting development prosperity and unite and cooperate in safeguarding international fairness and justice, setting an example for establishing new types of international relations.
Xi said: "China views Cambodia as a key focus of its peripheral diplomacy and firmly supports Cambodia in maintaining strategic autonomy and pursuing a development path that suits its national conditions."
He also mentioned the anticipation of talks with Sihamoni, Cambodia's Queen Mother Monineath, Hun Sen, and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet to discuss friendship, development, deepen higher-level political trust, higher-quality mutually beneficial cooperation, higher-level security guarantees, higher-frequency cultural exchanges, and higher-standard strategic collaboration, bringing more benefits to people of the two countries and contributing more positive energy to regional and global peace and stability.
On the other hand, a Cambodian government spokesperson said Cambodia hopes China can provide more financial support, including in infrastructure construction.
According to foreign media reports, China has invested billions of dollars in Cambodia's roads, airports, and other projects, and is Cambodia's largest creditor.
Before Xi's arrival in Phnom Penh, when asked by foreign media whether Cambodia expects China to announce funding for the 180-kilometer long Techo Foenak Canal, a spokesperson for the Cambodian Ministry of Finance, Sok Sensan, responded: "We look forward to more cooperation in areas like infrastructure construction."
The Cambodian government has said China will invest in the Techo Foenak Canal project, but foreign media reported that China has yet to make any public funding commitments for this project.
The Techo Foenak Canal will link the Mekong River near Phnom Penh to the Gulf of Thailand's coast, aside from diverting water from the fragile rice-growing Mekong Delta, it will also reduce the number of times needed to transport goods to and from Cambodia via Vietnamese ports. Vietnam has expressed concerns about this canal.