Presidency of People Republic of China : 2018/01/11 Frequent high-level exchanges help promote China-Cambodia ties

PHNOM PENH - Premier Li Keqiang will pay an official visit to Cambodia on Jan 11, which is expected to further enhance bilateral ties between the two countries.

The year of 2018 marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Cambodia. Forged and cultivated by the two countries' leaders over the past several decades, the friendship between the two countries has yielded fruitful outcomes in various fields.

FREQUENT HIGH-LEVEL EXCHANGES

In 2016, President Xi Jinping paid a successful visit to Cambodia, which took the China-Cambodia comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level.

Since then, the relationship between the two countries has entered into a fast track of development.

In a signed article published on Jan 9 in the Khmer Times, a leading English-language newspaper in Cambodia, Premier Li said 'I look forward to renewing China-Cambodia friendship during my upcoming official visit to Cambodia at the invitation of Prime Minister Hun Sen.'

Premier Li stressed that he expects stronger Lancang-Mekong cooperation and more progress in China-Cambodia relations.

The Premier attended the second Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) leaders' meeting on Jan 10.

The LMC comprises six countries, namely Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

Hailing the fruitful results in cooperation, Premier Li said in his signed article that the LMC has grown into a sub-regional cooperation framework with great potential and vitality. '(It) is not only conducive to narrowing the development gap within ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and advancing ASEAN integration, but also enriches South-South cooperation and efforts to foster a more open, inclusive and balanced economic globalization that benefits all.'

The friendly cooperation between China and Cambodia and within the LMC framework is oriented to promoting economic development, particularly to bettering people's lives, Premier Li said.

FRUITFUL OUTCOMES