Chinese premier meets Cambodian PM via video link

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Monday met with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen via video link, and promised that China will continue to provide support and assistance within its capacity to Cambodia for pandemic prevention and control, economic recovery and the improvement of people's livelihoods.

Noting that China and Cambodia are close neighbors with a profound traditional friendship, Li said that practical cooperation between the two countries in various fields has achieved continuous progress.

China attaches great importance to developing China-Cambodia ties, and will continue to support Cambodia in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions, Li said.

Li said that China is willing to maintain high-level exchanges with Cambodia and consistently consolidate mutual political trust. He said that China hopes the two sides will take the opportunity that is presented by the commencement of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and the China-Cambodia free trade agreement (FTA) to further dovetail their development strategies, and deepen cooperation in infrastructure, production capacity, the economy and trade.

China is willing to work with Cambodia to promote regional economic integration, and the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment to bring more benefits to the two countries and the region, Li said.

"China is ready to work with Cambodia to increase trade in agricultural products and import more quality agricultural products from Cambodia," Li said, adding that China supports Cambodia in hosting the upcoming Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit to further promote practical cooperation between Asia and Europe.

China firmly supports ASEAN's centrality in the regional architecture, supports ASEAN in playing a bigger role in regional and international affairs, and supports Cambodia in assuming the rotating presidency of ASEAN next year to promote the greater development of China-ASEAN relations, the premier said.

Hun Sen said that Cambodia and China are iron friends who have always stood firmly together in difficult times. The Cambodian side thanked China for providing strong support and assistance for Cambodia's economic and social development, and said China's achievements in pandemic prevention and control, as well as economic recovery, were highly appreciated.

He said that the two sides have made positive progress in overcoming the impact of the pandemic through cooperation in various fields. Cambodia hopes to strengthen cooperation with China in agriculture, infrastructure, public health, education and culture, and hopes to ensure that the Cambodia-China FTA will take effect as scheduled next year to lift bilateral trade to a new high.

Cambodia is ready to step up coordination and cooperation with China to push for positive outcomes at the ASEM summit and upgrade China-ASEAN relations, he added.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi also attended the meeting.