Xi praises Cambodia friendship

Ties said stronger than ever during king, queen mother’s stay in Beijing

China will join hands with Cambodia to further the two countries’ traditional friendship and promote their comprehensive strategic and co­operative partnership to a new height, President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday.

He made the remark when he and his wife, Peng Liyuan, visited Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihamoni and Queen Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk, who are staying in Beijing for a rest.

Xi said the China-Cambodia friendship, forged and cultivated by the older generation of Chinese leaders and the late King Norodom Sihanouk, is increasingly booming with vitality.

With the Mid-Autumn Festival falling on Monday, Xi wished King Sihamoni and Queen Mother Monineath a happy holiday and a long life with good health, saying they have made significant contributions to developing bilateral ties.

China treasures the special friendship with the Cambodian royal family, he said, noting that he has met with King Sihamoni and Queen Mother Monineath every year since 2016 as if it were a gathering of family members.

Xi said he and the king have reached important consensus on inheriting and promoting China-Cambodia traditional friendship, which has pushed bilateral relations into its best period in history.

The high-level figures as well as people of the two countries should continue to visit each other frequently like relatives, he said.

The president also expressed his congratulations on the success of Cambodia’s general election, wishing the country greater progress in building the nation under the new government headed by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.

King Sihamoni and Queen Mother Monineath thanked Xi and Peng for their friendly affection, saying their meetings always feel like they are among family members.

The Cambodian people are thankful for China’s firm support and precious assistance over the long term, and they appreciate the importance Xi attached to developing Cambodia-China relations, they said.

They hailed Xi’s visit to the country in 2016 as a historic one that elevated bilateral ties to a new height.

The Cambodian royal family will inherit the friendship with China forged by late King Norodom Sihanouk, and continue to actively promote new progress to be achieved in the comprehensive strategic cooperation between Cambodia and China, they added.