China, Cambodia keen to build on strong friendship

Beijing is ready to work with Phnom Penh to carry forward and further strengthen the friendship between China and Cambodia, and make bilateral relations an example for China's relations with its neighboring countries, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday.

Wang made the remarks when meeting with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol in Beijing.

The two Cambodian officials accompanied Cambodian People's Party President and Senate President Samdech Techo Hun Sen on a three-day visit to China, which will be wrapped up on Saturday.

Wang said their timely meeting aims to discuss how to fully implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and to advance bilateral mutually beneficial cooperation.

Wang called on the two sides to coordinate needs of development and security, deepen political and economic cooperation and collaboration in other fields, and continuously enrich the substance of bilateral relations.

China is willing to strengthen strategic coordination with Cambodia in international and regional affairs so as to safeguard the common interests of the Global South and make due contributions to promoting peace and development in the region and the world, he said.

Sokhonn said that Cambodia attaches great importance to developing relations with China and is willing to maintain close bilateral high-level exchanges, deepen strategic mutual trust, and promote solidarity and cooperation.

Chanthol said that Cambodia looks forward to working with China to strengthen alignment of development plans, and deepen cooperation in trade, investment, and infrastructure.

Cambodia welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest and operate in the country and will make every effort to create a secure and friendly business environment, he said.