PHNOM PENH: Prime Minister Hun Sen has called on China to reopen its border to ASEAN countries to strengthen and promote tourism, economy, and investment. The Prime Minister was speaking at the ASEAN-China Summit on Monday, commemorating the 30th ASEAN-China Partnership. Prime Minister Hun Sen also supports the elevation of ASEAN-China relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Prime Minister Hun Sen has attended the ASEAN-China Summit together with other ASEAN leaders and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday. The Prime Minister took the opportunity to ask China to reopen its borders with the ASEAN countries. He says, in the future, Cambodia would like to encourage China to re-open the entry-exit travel between the ASEAN-China regions in order to strengthen and promote tourism, air transport services, business activities, and trade.

Prime Minister Hun Sen has also encouraged ASEAN-China to continue to strengthen regional connectivity and the Belt and Road Initiative to increase the economic potential between the two. He says that ASEAN-China relationship is very important not only for the two but also for the whole world, especially in restoring the economy and the promotion of the socio-economic growth in the context of Covid-19.

The Prime Minister has highlighted on Cambodia’s support to elevate the ASEAN-China relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, as well as the adoption of the Joint Statement on the ASEAN-China Summit to Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations.

Cambodia also welcomes President Xi Jinping's global development initiative which will become a major support for developing countries in revitalising the post-COVID-19 socio-economic growth, and promoting human rights, through sustainable development and poverty reduction. He says that in this spirit, Cambodia hopes that this initiative will complement and support the ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to be more meaningful, founded on an adherence to a mutually beneficial and practical cooperation.