Prime Minister Hun Sen will serve as the co-chair and host of the ASEAN-China special summit to commemorate the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-China relations on November 22 via video conference at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
According to the press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation dated November 21, foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, Minister of Commerce Pan Sorasak, Minister of Education, Youth and Sport Hang Chuon Naron and other senior government officials will also be in attendance at the meeting virtually.
“ASEAN’s leaders and [Xi Jinping] are expected to discuss the future ways and means to further enhance ASEAN-China relations as well as exchange views on regional and international issues of common interest and concern,” the press release said.
Thong Mengdavid, research fellow at the Mekong Centre for Strategic Studies at the Asian Vision Institute, told The Post on November 21 that under the leadership of Xi Jinping, China has done an outstanding job managing the Covid-19 pandemic while protecting China’s national economic growth and maintaining stability there, which are all accomplishments to be proud of.
Mengdavid said the Chinese government has also taken care of its allies with financing and by providing millions of doses of vaccines aid to Cambodia and the rest of ASEAN.
He added that China and ASEAN have a vision for the ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership 2030 and building a closer ASEAN-China “common destiny community” in the future.
“China and ASEAN continue to push forward with the building of the East-Asian economic community and the Lancang-Mekong economic development belt, and continue to negotiate and consult on an expedited drafting of the South China Sea code of conduct to ensure a more peaceful and stable region with economic integration,” said Mengdavid.
He said that for this meeting, Cambodia expects China to focus on strengthening cooperation with ASEAN in four major areas: politics, security, economy and culture, and to do so on the basis of equal respect for sovereignty, mutual independence and win-win cooperation to achieve a robust post-pandemic recovery and to further develop the entire region.
