PHNOM PENH: The Australian Foreign Minister Maries Payne has paid a courtesy visit to Prime Minister Hun Sen at the peace palace on Monday. She was warmly welcomed by the Cambodia’s PM.

Meeting with the Cambodian Prime Minister was first on her list after she arrived in Cambodia on Sunday. The Australian Minister has also visited her Cambodian counterpart, Prak Sokhon discussing bilateral issues.It was part of her two-day official visit in the kingdom in response to the invitation of Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhon.

During the inauguration of the new building of the Ministry of Land Management, Prime Minister Hun Sen revealed that the Australian Foreign Minister's visit will have many issues to be discussed, including bilateral issues, regional issues and external issues.

The Prime Minister has added that she will also explain the US-UK-Australia Trilateral Alliance while Cambodia is chairing ASEAN in 2022. He has stressed that Cambodia and Australia have good trade relations and it will get better. Payne has also visited the Cambodian Organization for Crisis Women where she was welcomed the Minister of Women's Affairs, Ing Kantha Phavi.

Australia and Cambodia began diplomatic ties in 1952. Since then, Australia has been providing strong support for Cambodia's path to peace in the late 1980s and early 1990s, including playing a leading role in the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia. Until today, Cambodia has acknowledged Australia for remaining firm to its commitment to the kingdom's development.