On June 16, 2020, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Deputy Prime Minister Hor Nam Hong of Cambodia co-chaired the fifth meeting of China-Cambodia Intergovernmental Coordination Committee. The meeting was held through videolink. Both sides reviewed and summarized the important progress in China-Cambodia cooperation across the broad since the fourth meeting, agreed to strengthen the committee’s coordination role, and designated the committee as a main mechanism for advancing the implementation of the joint building of the China-Cambodia community of shared future.
Wang Yi said, with the strategic leadership of both countries’ leaders, the committee has leveraged its coordination role, comprehensively implemented the action plan of building a community of shared future between China and Cambodia, and elevated China-Cambodia relations to new highs. Since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, China and Cambodia have supported and helped each other, bringing friendly relations closer and consolidating the traditional friendship.
Wang Yi stressed, this year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of China-Cambodia comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. Bilateral cooperation enjoys a sound momentum and broad prospects for all-round development. Both sides have maintained close high-level exchanges, advanced cooperation in various fields in a comprehensive way, and implemented a large number of key projects under the Belt and Road Initiative. The two sides have successfully held the China-Cambodia Law Enforcement Cooperation Year and other activities and effectively combated online gambling and other trans-boundary crimes. The Chinese side is willing to continue to join hands with the Cambodian side to fight the pandemic, speed up exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and work together to strive for the victories of pandemic prevention and control and economic and social development, so as to take China-Cambodia relations to a deeper level, broader area and higher standard.
Wang Yi pointed out, the Chinese side is willing to continue to beef up communication and coordination within regional frameworks including East Asia cooperation and Lancang-Mekong cooperation with the Cambodian side, support the holding of a virtual conference on COVID-19 response among Foreign Ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plus China, Japan and the Republic of Korea and the China-ASEAN Year of Digital Economy Cooperation, and promote the signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement within this year. The Chinese side is prepared to work with Cambodia and other ASEAN countries to comprehensively and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and strive for an early conclusion of consultations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.
Hor Nam Hong expressed, Cambodia and China are “iron friends.” Cambodia and China have supported each other and fought against the pandemic together since the onset of the disease, showcasing the rock-firm fraternal friendship of both countries. Cambodia and China have obtained fruitful outcomes in practical cooperation and successfully propelled the Belt and Road Initiative since the establishment of bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. The Cambodian side will never forget the Chinese side’s long-term support and assistance, and stands ready to work the Chinese side to take the consensus reached by leaders of the two countries as a guidance to fully implement the action plan of the China-Cambodia community of shared future, and advance Cambodia-China cooperation for substantial and in-depth development. Firmly upholding the one-China policy, the Cambodian side supports the Chinese side’s adoption of the Hong Kong national security legislation, supports multilateralism, supports ASEAN-China cooperation and strongly opposes unilateralism and protectionism.
Both sides agreed that as COVID-19 pandemic poses great challenges to mankind, countries should stay united, oppose politicizing and stigmatizing the pandemic, and support World Health Organization to leverage its important role to jointly build a global community of health for all.
Both sides announced to launch a “fast lane” for personnel exchanges and a “green channel” for trade in goods, and agreed to conclude China-Cambodia free trade agreement negotiations as soon as possible, set up consular institutes in each other’s country, and officially launch the export of Cambodian mangoes to China.
After the meeting, both sides signed a memorandum of understanding on strengthening the coordination role of the China-Cambodia Intergovernmental Coordination Committee under the new circumstances, and issued a joint press release.
