Prime Minister Hun Sen has assured a high-ranking Chinese diplomat that his ruling Cambodian People’s Party would win the upcoming election, according to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs document obtained yesterday.

Hun Sen, whose government has grown increasingly attached to Chinese aid and loans in recent years, made the comments during a meeting last week with Yang Jiechi, a state councillor and former minister of foreign affairs.

“According to the existing numbers, if members of the CPP cast one vote, plus votes from their family members, the Cambodian People’s Party can win,” Hun Sen is quoted as saying.

Political analyst Meas Ny warned that Hun Sen “should be a little bit careful” about any promises about the upcoming elections, pointing to the surprise loss of many National Assembly seats during the 2013 elections.

Analyst Ou Virak said Hun Sen’s claims were meant to address “nervousness” felt by foreign investors and allies. While an opposition win represents uncertainty, the ruling party has cultivated an image that “the stability of the country rests in the hands of Hun Sen,” he said.

Opposition party spokesman Yim Sovann, meanwhile, said any comments made so early were meaningless.

“We want to know [what the case will be] when election is finished,” he added.