Chinese state councilor meets Cambodian deputy PM on cooperation under Belt and Road Initiative

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met on Sunday with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong on bilateral ties with both sides vowing to enhance cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Namhong is here to attend the fourth Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Foreign Ministers' Meeting, scheduled on Monday.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) shakes hands with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong in Luang Prabang, Laos on December 16, 2018. [Photo: fmprc.gov.cn]

The Chinese state councilor said since the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the two countries 60 years ago, China and Cambodia have always understood, trusted and supported each other.

In the new era, China is willing to enhance close strategic coordination and cooperation with Cambodia, enrich connotation of the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation and foster a community of shared destiny of strategic significance, Wang said.

China is willing to deepen cooperation with Cambodia under the Belt and Road Initiative, increase production capacity investment and industrial parks construction, and help the country improve self-driven development competence, Wang said.

Cambodia is an important participant of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, Wang said, noting that China is looking forward to working with Cambodia to promote the cooperation and realize common development.

For his part, Namhong said this year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Cambodia-China diplomatic relations and bilateral ties have made substantial progress, with frequent high-level mutual visits and fruitful pragmatic cooperation achievements.

Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen is ready to attend the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation to be held in China next year, and further promote bilateral economic and trade cooperation, expand investment and increase personnel exchanges, he said.

The Cambodian side actively supports the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, and is willing to closely communicate with the Chinese side to push forward the mechanism to yield more positive results, the deputy PM added.