Column: Deepening Cambodia-China relations to boost common development, prosperity

by Kin Phea

Cambodia and China agreed in April to build an all-weather Cambodia-China community with a shared future in the new era. The partnership has since entered a new stage, marked by higher standards, higher quality and closer coordination.

Guided by the high-level strategic consensus, the two countries will continue to enrich the Cambodia-China "Diamond Cooperation Framework" through six major areas: politics, production capacity, agriculture, energy, security and people-to-people exchanges.

The two sides will accelerate the construction of the Industrial and Technological Corridor and the Fish and Rice Corridor, and endeavor to raise mutual political trust to a higher level; expand high-quality, mutually beneficial cooperation; ensure greater security; increase people-to-people exchanges; and strengthen strategic coordination of higher standards.

This is an exemplary relationship that remains unbreakable despite changing regional and international landscape, thanks to rock-solid mutual political trust.

The ironclad friendship is the solid foundation for the building of an all-weather China-Cambodia community with a shared future in the new era, which is resilient to crises and emerging challenges.

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, Global Civilization Initiative and Global Governance Initiative are of great benefit to the world, including Cambodia.

These China-proposed global initiatives are conducive to safeguarding the collective interests of humankind and advancing the cause of peace, justice and progress.

Cambodia has made every effort to promote the implementation of these initiatives to make positive contributions to peace, security, stability and prosperity in the region and the world.

Cambodia and China have always been committed to carrying forward the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, promoting the Asian values of peace, cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, and advocating the Bandung Spirit of unity, friendship and cooperation, with a view to jointly building a community with a shared future for humanity.

China has become Cambodia's leading development partner, playing a key role in driving the kingdom's economic growth through massive investments in infrastructure, growing trade, and cooperation in various sectors.

Belt and Road projects in Cambodia include the Sihanoukville Special Economy Zone, hydropower plants, Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway, Siem Reap Angkor International Airport, Morodok Techo National Stadium, ports, roads, large river bridges, hospitals and rural water supply have greatly benefited Cambodia's economy and raised living standards.

These infrastructure projects have played a crucial role in boosting investment and trade, facilitating Cambodia's exports of products, especially high-quality agricultural products, to international markets.

In addition, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and the Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement have played a significant role in boosting bilateral trade, allowing Cambodia's high-quality agricultural products, such as rice, cassava, mangoes, bananas, and Pailin longans, to be exported to China with preferential tariffs.

The BRI, along with the above-mentioned trade pacts, will help Cambodia achieve its goals of becoming an upper-middle-income country by 2030 and a high-income country by 2050.

Furthermore, with 2025 declared the Cambodia-China Year of Tourism, bilateral cooperation in economics, trade, tourism, culture and people-to-people exchanges is expected to reach new highs.

The building of an all-weather China-Cambodia community with a shared future in the new era is a win-win concept that benefits both countries and the region. It reflects deeper political trust, higher-quality cooperation, and enriched ties between the Chinese and Cambodian people.

Editor's note: Kin Phea is director general of the International Relations Institute of Cambodia, a think tank under the Royal Academy of Cambodia.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Xinhua News Agency.