ANN/CHINA DAILY – Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen will make an official visit to China from today to Saturday, becoming the first foreign leader Beijing will host after the Chinese New Year holiday.
Calling Hun Sen an old friend and a good friend of the Chinese people, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a daily news briefing on Monday that the three-day visit fully indicates the high level of China-Cambodia relations.
According to Mao, the Cambodian prime minister will meet with Chinese leaders for exchanges of views on bilateral relations and regional and international issues of common concern.
This year marks the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries, as well as the Year of China-Cambodia Friendship.
Noting that China and Cambodia are traditionally friendly neighbours and staunch friends, Mao said that their bilateral friendship, jointly forged by older generations of Chinese and Cambodian leaders, has further strengthened over time.
According to the Cambodian General Department of Customs and Excise, China continues to be Cambodia’s largest trading partner, with total bilateral trade in 2022 reaching USD11.686 billion, up 4.4 per cent year-on-year.
After the free-trade agreement between the two countries took effect last year, over 90 per cent of bilateral trade in goods has tariff-free status, China’s Ministry of Commerce said.
Cambodian Minister of Commerce Pan Sorasak said recently that Cambodia planned to set up private business centres in five Chinese cities to make full use of the free-trade agreement and maximise exports of Cambodian products to China.
