Wang Yi in Phnom Penh
Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi arrives in Cambodia, Beijing’s "ironclad brother". Phnom Penh welcomes Wang Yi, “China will always be Cambodia's most trustworthy partner, strongest supporter”
Wang Yi: China willing to work with Cambodia to strengthen cooperation
By CGTN Video 15:00, 22-Apr-2024
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said that China is ready to work with Cambodia to strengthen cooperation and promote greater development in building a bilateral community with a shared future. Wang Yi made the remarks when meeting with his Cambodian counterpart as well as Deputy Prime Minister Sok Chenda Sophea. Wang said the two nations should promote people-to-people exchanges and jointly combat illegal activities such as online gambling and telecommunication fraud. Sok Chenda Sophea said Cambodia adheres to the one-China policy and welcomes more Chinese companies to invest in the country. Wang Yi also met with King Norodom Sihamoni on Sunday.
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Phnom Penh welcomes Wang Yi
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in Cambodia on Sunday for a three-day official visit to reaffirm ties with Beijing’s closest ally in Southeast Asia. His visit is the last stop on a three-nation regional swing that also took him to Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
He is visiting amid foreign concerns about two big Chinese-funded projects in Cambodia — a planned canal and a naval base — that critics allege could aid Beijing’s strategic military interests in Southeast Asia.
China is Cambodia’s most important ally and benefactor, with strong influence in its economy. That is illustrated by numerous Chinese-funded projects — particularly infrastructure, including airports and roads, but also private projects such as hotels, casinos and property development. More than 40% of Cambodia’s $10 billion in foreign debt is owed to China.
Wang is scheduled to have separate meetings with Prime Minister Hun Manet and his father, Hun Sen, now serving as president of the Senate after serving for 38 years as Cambodia’s head of government until he stepped down last year to be succeeded by his son. Wang was also granted a royal audience with King Norodom Sihamoni.
Hun Manet has shown no sign of deviating from his father’s pro-Beijing foreign policy. In August 2023, Wang visited Cambodia just days after Hun Sen announced he would step down as prime minister in favor of his eldest son.
Beijing’s support allows Cambodia to disregard Western concerns about its poor record on human and political rights, and in turn Cambodia generally supports Beijing’s positions on foreign policy issues such as its territorial claims in the South China Sea.
Cambodia has recently reiterated its determination to go ahead with the Chinese-financed 180-kilometer (112-mile) long, $1.7 billion Funan Techo Canal project across four provinces in the southern part of the country to connect the capital, Phnom Penh, to the Gulf of Thailand.
The plan has raised concern from neighboring Vietnam, where some scholars speculated the 100-meter (330-foot) -wide and 5.4 meter (18-foot) -deep canal could make it easier for China to send military forces southward, close to Vietnam’s southern coast. There are often frosty relations between Vietnam and its massive northern neighbor China, which aggressively claims maritime territory claimed by Hanoi and in 1979 staged a brief invasion.
The United States has also weighed in on the project, appealing for transparency on the part of Cambodia’s government. Wesley Holzer, a U.S. Embassy spokesperson in Phnom Penh, was quoted as telling the Voice of America that “the Cambodian people, along with people in neighboring countries and the broader region, would benefit from transparency on any major undertaking with potential implications for regional water management, agricultural sustainability, and security,”
Hun Manet, speaking Thursday to government officials and villagers in southern Takeo province, dismissed the Vietnamese concern and vowed to push forward with the project, which he said would provide a huge benefit to Cambodia.
China also is involved with another project causing foreign concern, its Ream Naval Base on the Gulf of Thailand , which the United States and some international security analysts say is destined to serve as a strategic outpost for Beijing’s navy.
The Ream base initially attracted attention in 2019 when The Wall Street Journal reported that an early draft of an agreement seen by U.S. officials would allow China 30 years’ use of the base, where it would be able to post military personnel, store weapons and berth warships.
Hun Sen in response repeatedly denied there was such an agreement, pointing out that Cambodia’s constitution does not allow foreign military bases to be established on its soil and declaring that visiting ships from all nations are welcome.
The base is situated on the Gulf of Thailand, adjacent to the South China Sea, where China has aggressively asserted its claim to virtually the entire strategic waterway. The U.S. has refused to recognize China’s sweeping claims and routinely conducts military maneuvers there to reinforce its status as international waters.
On Dec. 7, two Chinese naval vessels became the first ships to dock at a new pier at the base, coinciding with an official visit to Cambodia by China’s top defence official.
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“China will always be Cambodia's most trustworthy partner, strongest supporter”
PHNOM PENH, April 22 (Xinhua) -- China will always be Cambodia's most trustworthy partner and strongest supporter, visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Sunday.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni.
Sihamoni said Cambodia appreciates China for its selfless support and assistance in Cambodia's economic and social development, which has provided a powerful impetus to the construction of the Cambodia-China community with a shared future, adding that he believes the construction of the "Industrial Development Corridor" and the "Fish and Rice Corridor" will further boost Cambodia's economic growth.
The king said Cambodia firmly adheres to the one-China policy and actively supports the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind and the three major global initiatives proposed by China.
He expressed a firm belief that the friendship between Cambodia and China will be passed down through generations and grow stronger over time.
For his part, Wang said under the guidance of the two heads of state, the construction of the China-Cambodia community with a shared future has entered a new stage of high quality, high level and high standard.
Wang said China is willing to work with Cambodia to implement the strategic consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries. China will always be Cambodia's most trustworthy partner and strongest supporter.
Noting that China's development will also provide new opportunities for Cambodia's development, Wang said that China is willing to work closely with Cambodia to achieve common development, and keep the construction of the China-Cambodia community with a shared future at the forefront of the times.
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PHNOM PENH, April 21 (Xinhua) -- China is willing to work with Cambodia to promote greater development in building the China-Cambodia community with a shared future, visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Sunday.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when holding talks with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sok Chenda Sophea.
Wang said China is willing to work with Cambodia to deepen strategic mutual trust, strengthen unity and cooperation, consolidate the foundation of mutual benefit, and promote greater development in building the China-Cambodia community with a shared future.
Faced with a complex international environment, China and Cambodia should strengthen high-level strategic guidance and steer the construction of the China-Cambodia community with a shared future in the right direction, the foreign minister said.
The two sides should deepen practical cooperation in various fields, enhance unity and cooperation, promote close people-to-people exchanges and strengthen multilateral coordination and cooperation, he noted.
China is willing to work with Cambodia to enhance strategic synergy and comprehensively promote cooperation in six major fields of politics, production capacity, agriculture, energy, security and people-to-people exchanges, Wang said.
China and Cambodia should seize the opportunity of the 2024 China-Cambodia People-to-People Exchange Year to enhance friendly feelings between the peoples and solidify the social foundation of bilateral relations; jointly combat illegal activities such as online gambling, telecommunications fraud, and human trafficking, and thoroughly eradicate related criminal gangs; jointly promote the high-quality development of China-ASEAN relations, advance Lancang-Mekong cooperation, and firmly steer East Asian cooperation in the right direction, Wang said.
For his part, Sok Chenda Sophea said Cambodia firmly adheres to the one-China policy and is committed to advancing friendly cooperation with China.
Cambodia is looking forward to more cooperation projects with China and welcomes more Chinese companies to invest in the Southeast Asian country, he said.
Cambodia opposes external forces creating disturbances in the region and is willing to unite and cooperate with China to ensure the healthy development of East Asian cooperation and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability, Sok Chenda Sophea said.
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PHNOM PENH – Cambodia and China’s foreign ministers expressed satisfaction on April 21 with the strong development of bilateral relations in all sectors as China’s top diplomat is paying an official visit to Phnom Penh.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in Cambodia’s capital city on April 21 for a three-day visit during which he will hold talks with top leaders.
Foreign Minister Sok Chenda Sophea met his Chinese counterpart a few hours after he stepped foot in the country.
In a statement released on April 22, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said that the meeting included talks for further cooperation in infrastructure, energy, economy and trade.
The two ministers also discussed enhancing the diamond cooperation framework – which was agreed upon in February 2023 to develop cooperation in six priority areas –, people-to-people exchanges, and the joint development of industrial and technological, and fish and rice corridors.
Sophea and Wang said they highly value the strong development of bilateral relations in all sectors under the comprehensive strategic partnership.
According to the Chinese state media agency Xinhua, Wang reportedly told Sophea that the two countries should “jointly combat illegal activities such as online gambling, telecommunications fraud, and human trafficking, and thoroughly eradicate related criminal gangs.”
Sophea, who is also deputy prime minister, said Cambodia firmly adheres to the one-China policy and is committed to advancing friendly cooperation with China while looking forward to more cooperation projects with China and welcoming more Chinese companies.
Wang later paid a courtesy call to King Norodom Sihamoni during which he said that China will always be Cambodia’s most trustworthy partner and strongest supporter.
During his stay in Cambodia, Wang will meet Senate President Hun Sen and hold talks with Prime Minister Hun Manet.
Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol and Wang will co-chair an intergovernmental meeting to discuss areas of cooperation.
The visit by the Chinese top diplomat came as Cambodia faced allegations over Chinese military activities at Ream Naval Base and criticism over the 180-kilometer-long Funan Techo Canal project, which will connect the Mekong River to the sea.
Vietnamese experts expressed they fear China will use the canal as a gateway to access the inland Vietnamese border.
Cambodia repeatedly denied the allegations, saying that the project is purely for economic and trade purposes.
The canal will cost $1.7 billion which will be covered by the State-Company China Bridge and Road Corporation (CRBC) under a build-operate-transfer (BOT) scheme.
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