Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni in Hangzhou, capital city of east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 23, 2023. (Photo: Xinhua)

 
China attaches great importance to its special friendship with the Cambodian royal family, highly values the development of China-Cambodia relations and is willing to work with the Cambodian side to push forward the building of a China-Cambodia community with a shared future to a deeper and more practical extent, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Saturday.

Xi made the remarks during his meeting with the King of Cambodia Norodom Sihamoni on Saturday morning. The king is in China to attend the opening ceremony of the 19 Asian Games in Hangzhou, capital city of East China's Zhejiang Province. 

The frequent high-level exchanges between China and Cambodia, marked by the recent China visits by the King of Cambodia himself and the newly elected Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, embody the ironclad friendship between the two neighboring countries, Chinese analysts hailed on Saturday. 

This year marks the 65th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Cambodia diplomatic relations and also the 10th anniversary of Xi's proposal of the concept of Building Relations with Neighboring Countries Based on Amity, Sincerity, Mutual Benefit and Inclusiveness, according to the Xinhua News Agency. 

China-Cambodia relations embodies such concept and China's commitment to good neighborliness and partnership in diplomacy, Xi said. 

Xi continued to note that China supports Cambodia in following a development path that suits its national conditions, achieving stability and development, and playing an important role on the international and regional stage. 

Both sides should seek to maintain high-level exchanges, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, solidly promote the "Diamond Hexagon" cooperation framework, and expedite visible achievements in the construction of the Industrial Development Corridor and the Rice and Fish Corridor to serve the modernization of their respective countries, said Xi. 

The "Diamond Hexagon" cooperation framework highlights six priority areas, including political cooperation, production capacity, agriculture, energy, security and social affairs.

Both sides should continue to promote exchanges and cooperation in the fields of education, culture, and youth, deepening the friendship between China and Cambodia, Xi remarked. 

For his part, the visiting King of Cambodia, said that he is honored to lead the delegation to attend the opening ceremony in the beautiful city of Hangzhou. 

Sihamoni believes that under the strong leadership of President Xi Jinping, China will once again present a remarkable sports event to the world, making new contributions to promoting unity and friendship across the Asian family. 

Cambodia is committed to the One China policy and is willing to work hand in hand with China to build the Belt and Road Initiative and create a community with a shared future for Cambodia and China. May the friendship between Cambodia and China last forever, the King said. 

"The significance of King Sihamoni's China visit once again is substantial," Ge Hongliang, director of the China-ASEAN Maritime Security Research Center at Guangxi University for Nationalities, told the Global Times on Saturday.

This year, then-prime minister Hun Sen visited China, and more recently, Hun Manet visited Nanning to participate in the 20th China-ASEAN Expo in Nanning. King Norodom Sihamoni himself has visited twice this year—once in the spring and again in the fall. Such tradition of close relations, first established during the time of King Sihanouk, continues to thrive, and it has been beneficial for China-Cambodia relations, the expert expounded. 

In recent years, the Western media has often sensationalized issues linked to  China-Cambodia cooperation. There are accusations from the West hyping issues such as the so-called "debt trap," and speculation over so-called China's military base in the Southeast Asian country. These are all aimed at exaggerating China's influence in Southeast Asia and amplifying the threat from China. Within ASEAN, Cambodia also faces criticism for its "pro-China" stance, especially on the South China Sea question.

Chinese analysts pointed out that regarding Cambodia's domestic issues, we have always followed a diplomatic principle of "non-interference" in other countries' internal affairs, which is a crucial aspect of our peaceful coexistence principle. We have always supported countries in finding their own paths to development based on their unique national conditions. 

Following Cambodia's recent elections, a successful transfer of power took place. Hun Manet's choice of making China the first country he visited after taking office indicates the new Cambodian government's attitude toward China, viewing the relationship as a "priority" or "ironclad" one. We also support the continuous improvement and upgrading of China-Cambodia relations, they said.