Newly appointed Chinese ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wenbin (left) shakes hands with Senate president Hun Sen in Phnom Penh on July 18. Hun Sen via social media
Senate president Hun Sen reiterated his request to China to continue supporting Cambodia in all areas of development while reaffirming Cambodia’s adherence to the one-China policy.
He made the remarks during a July 18 meeting with newly appointed Chinese ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wenbin in Phnom Penh.
Hun Sen told Wang that as the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) president, he would remain in office for a long time, and despite the change in the Kingdom's prime minister, the country’s position regarding China remains unchanged.
“The Senate president asked his Chinese friend to continue supporting Cambodia in all areas of development.
“[He] also reaffirmed Cambodia’s commitment to the one-China policy, considering Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang as China’s internal issues,” a July 18 statement posted on Hun Sen’s social media said.
The statement quoted Wang as saying that Hun Sen is a true, old friend of China who has always supported them. Wang thanked him for visiting China during the Covid-19 pandemic.
He mentioned that Hun Sen’s visit had taken the Chinese people and the world by surprise and said he considered the Senate president a good friend to the Chinese people, one who supports China in times of crisis.
“The well-being of Cambodia is the well-being of China as well,” Wang was quoted as saying.
He pledged that during his diplomatic mission in Cambodia, he would further strengthen and expand socio-economic, security-military and people-to-people exchanges.
He also invited Hun Sen to visit China at an appropriate time in the near future.
Hun Sen highlighted the "indispensable" importance of trust and mutual respect in the evolution of Cambodia-China relations, from a strategic partnership to a comprehensive strategic partnership and “ironclad friendship”, aiming to build a shared future community together.
“Cambodia has maintained this strong traditional friendship since the previous generation of leaders, and we have worked to keep this relationship strong.
“The historic relationship between the two countries requires that we remain loyal partners,” he said.
Hun Sen recalled his visit to China at the height of the Covid-19 outbreak as a show of solidarity between the Cambodian and Chinese people during a difficult time and as an encouragement to Cambodian students to stay and continue their education in China.
He also thanked China for providing Covid-19 vaccines to Cambodia.
