Cambodia’s Hun Sen receives support pledges on Beijing visit

Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen (left) and President Xi Jinping

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen received multiple assurances of Chinese economic and political support during a meeting Friday in Beijing with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

“(China) firmly supports Cambodia in safeguarding national sovereignty and security, firmly supports Cambodia in steadily advancing major domestic political agendas and economic and social development, and resolutely opposes external forces interfering in Cambodia’s internal affairs,” Xi was quoted as telling Hun Sen by China’s official Xinhua News Agency.

China will also encourage more Chinese enterprises to invest in Cambodia, help in the construction of the Sihanoukville economic zone in Cambodia’s southwest on the Gulf of Thailand, and support building transportation infrastructure, Xi said.

Hun Sen was quoted as thanking China for providing COVID-19 vaccines and said Cambodia “firmly supports China in safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and development interests” and “firmly opposes any external forces interfering in China’s internal affairs on issues related to Hong Kong, Xinjiang, and Tibet.”

Cambodia is a key Chinese diplomatic partner, helping dampen criticism of Beijing within the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, several of whose members are engaged in territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea.

The meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guest House comes in the middle of Hun Sen’s three-day visit.  MDT/AP