Phnom Penh: In a significant meeting held at the Senate House on Thursday, July 18, 2024, Samdech Techo Hun Sen, President of the Senate of Cambodia, welcomed Mr. Wang Wenbin, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to the Kingdom of Cambodia. During the meeting, Ambassador Wang expressed his gratitude for Samdech Hun Sen's visit to China during the COVID-19 pandemic, which greatly impressed the Chinese people and the international community. He acknowledged Samdech Hun Sen as a steadfast friend who has stood by China in times of need, highlighting that Cambodia's well-being is intricately linked to China's.
Ambassador Wang conveyed warm greetings from Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, and other key Chinese leaders to President Hun Sen. He praised Samdech Hun Sen as an exceptional leader and strategist who has significantly contributed to Cambodia's peace and development. Wang lauded Hun Sen's direct involvement over the past three decades in fostering the longstanding friendship between Cambodia and China.
A key highlight of their discussion was the agreement between President Hun Sen and President Xi Jinping to launch the Diamond Cooperation Framework. This initiative aims to elevate the Cambodia-China relationship to a high-quality, comprehensive cooperation model, reflecting their shared vision of building a prosperous and stable community.
Ambassador Wang reiterated China's commitment to further enhancing socio-economic, security-military, and people-to-people relations between the two countries. He extended a cordial invitation to President Hun Sen for an official visit to China in the near future.
In response, Samdech Techo Hun Sen expressed his gratitude for the greetings from Chinese leaders and underscored the crucial role of trust and mutual respect in advancing Cambodia-China relations. He emphasized the transition from strategic partners to comprehensive strategic partners and the forging of an indestructible "steel friendship" aimed at building a shared destiny.
President Hun Sen reflected on the enduring tradition of friendship between the two nations, a legacy maintained since the previous generation of leaders. He recounted his visit to China during the COVID-19 outbreak as an act of solidarity and support for Cambodian students in China. He thanked China for its consistent supply of COVID-19 vaccines to Cambodia.
Reaffirming his long-term commitment as President of the Cambodian People's Party, Samdech Techo assured that despite any changes in the Prime Ministerial position, Cambodia's stance towards China remains unwavering. He urged continued Chinese support for Cambodia's development across various sectors and reiterated Cambodia's adherence to the "one-China policy," recognizing Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tibet, and Xinjiang as integral parts of China.