Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived from Malaysia on the 17th and continued his state visit to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. Xi published a signed article in two local newspapers and on a news website (the Khmer Times, the Jianhua Daily, and Cambodia's "Fresh News" website) emphasizing that as important members of the Asian family, China and Cambodia should follow the historical trend and ensure the stable and lasting development of the China-Cambodia community with a shared future in the new era.
In the article titled "Mutual Devotion and Achievement to Steadily Promote the Building of a New Era China-Cambodia Community with a Shared Future," it was mentioned that China has long been Cambodia's largest trading partner and largest source of investment. The industrial and supply chain cooperation between the two countries continues to deepen, with the Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement facilitating the entry of Cambodian quality agricultural products like bananas, mangoes, and longans into the Chinese market. The Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone, jointly developed by China and Cambodia, has attracted over 200 international enterprises, laying a solid foundation for Cambodia's industrial modernization.
Xi Jinping believes that the two countries should enhance higher standard strategic coordination. They should jointly oppose hegemonism, power politics, and bloc confrontation, defend the common interests of both countries and developing nations, promote a multi-polar world order that is equal and orderly, and inclusive globalization. They should strive to maintain world peace and stability and international fairness and justice, jointly resist protectionism, and uphold an open and cooperative international environment.
Xi also suggested that the two countries deepen higher-level political trust, strengthen strategic communication in diplomacy and defense, firmly oppose external forces interfering in internal affairs, sowing discord, or undermining China-Cambodia friendship, and jointly safeguard political security. Furthermore, they should expand higher-quality mutually beneficial cooperation and establish a higher-level security guarantee.
On the other hand, China's ambassador to Cambodia, Wang Wenbin, also wrote in the People's Daily on Thursday, stating that Xi Jinping's upcoming state visit to Cambodia coinciding with the Cambodian traditional New Year is "the best New Year blessing for Cambodian friends. It will undoubtedly become a new milestone in the development of China-Cambodia relations, further advancing the construction of the China-Cambodia community with a shared future to new heights and yielding more fruitful results for the benefit of the people of both countries."
Wang Wenbin mentioned when discussing China-Cambodia relations "to make true friends with sincerity," "to be fellow travelers through shared experiences," "to be good partners in mutual development," and "to integrate culturally and become a family of mutual understanding."