Ties hailed as King Sihamoni and Queen Mother visit China
(L-R) Queen Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk, King Norodom Sihamoni, Chinese President Xi Jinping and First Lady Peng Liyuan at Zhongnanhai in Beijing on Tuesday. Xinhua
Synopsis: Chinese President welcomes the Cambodian monarchs who are in China to attend the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed China’s “ironclad” friendship with Cambodia during a meeting with King Norodom Sihamoni and Queen Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk in Beijing on Tuesday, underscoring the resilience and strategic importance of bilateral relations amid global uncertainties.
Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, welcomed the Cambodian monarchs, who are visiting China to attend events marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
According to Xinhua News Agency, Xi recalled his state visit to Cambodia in April, where he received a warm reception from King Sihamoni and the Cambodian people, and highlighted the deep historical and cultural bonds between the two countries.
“China-Cambodia relations have withstood the tests of international vicissitudes, and the two sides have forged an ironclad friendship by sharing weal and woe, which has become a precious asset for the two peoples and deserves to be cherished all the more by both sides,” Xi said.
Amid what he described as an international environment “intertwined with changes and chaos”, Xi called on both countries to close ranks. He stressed the need to carry forward traditional friendship, deepen solidarity and cooperation, and accelerate the building of an “all-weather China-Cambodia community with a shared future in the new era.”
Closer cooperation between Beijing and Phnom Penh, Xi said, would not only safeguard regional stability but also bring ‘tangible benefits’ to the people of both nations. He also reaffirmed China’s support for Cambodia’s pursuit of a development path suited to its national conditions, with the goal of achieving long-term peace and stability.
The King and Queen Mother thanked Xi for the warm welcome and for inviting them to the commemorative events. They praised the Chinese people’s historic contributions to global peace, which they said “deserve to be remembered forever.”
The Cambodian monarchs also reflected on Xi’s April state visit to Phnom Penh, which they described as “historic”, noting that both countries had strengthened friendship, expanded cooperation, and achieved important outcomes.
They said that Cambodia has always regarded its ties with China from a strategic perspective and reiterated their willingness to deepen cooperation and jointly build an “all-weather Cambodia-China community with a shared future in the new era.”
During an official two-day visit to Cambodia in April, Xi stressed the crucial role of Cambodia in China’s foreign policy and expressed his commitment to supporting the Kingdom in pursuing strategic autonomy and development.
He added that bilateral ties, forged and carefully nurtured by successive generations of leaders on both sides, have stood the test of the changing international environment and remain as rock-solid as ever.
“China and Cambodia took the lead in building a community with a shared future at the bilateral level and in carrying out Belt and Road cooperation,” Xi said.
“Our two countries have supported each other in maintaining national stability and promoting development and prosperity and worked side by side to stand up for fairness and justice in international affairs.”
-Khmer Times-
