Wang Yi Meets with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn

On July 3, 2022 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn on the sidelines of the seventh Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Bagan, Myanmar.

Wang Yi said, since the beginning of this year, China and Cambodia have maintained frequent high-level exchanges, constantly enhanced the ironclad friendship and made all-round cooperation at the forefront of China's relations with other countries in the region. Under new circumstances, China is willing to work with Cambodia to further implement the high-level strategic consensus, strengthen communication, and deepen cooperation, so as to do a good job in building and solidifying the China-Cambodia community with a shared future and celebrate the 65th anniversary of the establishment of China-Cambodia diplomatic ties in 2023 with more visible results. China, as a strategic partner sharing weal and woe, will continue to stand firmly with Cambodia and support and help with its political stability and economic development.

Prak Sokhonn said, Cambodia speaks highly of the Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping, and believes that the two great initiatives will make significant contributions to global peace and development. The Cambodia-China comprehensive strategic partnership is strong and robust. The Cambodian government and people thank China for always respecting Cambodia's national conditions and firmly supporting its national development. Cambodia will continue to firmly pursue the one-China policy, and support China's stance on issues concerning Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, and Xizang. Cambodia hopes to maintain high-level exchanges and strengthen strategic communication with China, and celebrate the 65th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties in 2023 with more cooperation achievements.

Both sides expressed willingness to continuously advance the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and Cambodia's development strategy, build the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone and solidly promote infrastructure projects such as the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway.

Both sides agreed to continue communication and cooperation in fields including pandemic response, agriculture, environmental protection, technology, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges. Wang Yi said, China will deliver the remaining 15 million COVID-19 vaccine doses in time according to the need of the Cambodian side, provide other anti-pandemic supplies at an early time, expand the export of Cambodian rice to China, increase direct flights between the two countries, and actively coordinate the return of the first batch of Cambodian students to China for school.

The two sides held an in-depth communication on China's relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Wang Yi said, China fully supports the important role of Cambodia as the rotating chair of ASEAN and is ready to work with ASEAN to adhere to the following "three upholdings". First, upholding ASEAN centrality to preserve strategic independence, maintain multilateralism and take hold of the leading power over regional security. Second, upholding the orientation of win-win cooperation, and taking the building of a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable home for both China and ASEAN as the goal and high-quality Belt and Road cooperation as the driving force to fully implement the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and launch the building of Version 3.0 China-ASEAN Free Trade Area at an early date, so as to add more certainty and positive energy to regional peace, stability and development. Third, upholding the principle of properly handling sensitive issues to maintain the keynote of mutually beneficial cooperation, oppose initiating antagonism of camps and division in this region, and resist any attempt to turn the East Asia cooperation platform into a "wrestling ground" for major-country rivals.

Prak Sokhonn said, Cambodia opposes any external forces meddling in regional affairs, compelling regional countries to take sides and pushing for zero-sum mentality and geopolitical rivalry. In the face of the current complex and volatile situation, Cambodia will firmly stand on the right side of history and join hands with China in the spirit of mutual benefit and win-win outcomes to safeguard regional peace, stability and prosperity.

The two sides also exchanged views on the situation in Myanmar, the South China Sea issue, and strengthening the Lancang-Mekong cooperation.