PHNOM PENH — China and Cambodia have vowed to promote their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in the new era, according to a joint communique released after Premier Li Keqiang concluded his visit to Cambodia on Jan 11.
The two countries vowed to cement high-level exchanges and strategic communication and make full play of the role of China-Cambodia Inter-Governmental Coordination Committee to guide bilateral cooperation in various areas, said the communique.
The two sides decided to accelerate the effective alignment of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and China’s 13th Five-Year Plan with Cambodia’s national development strategy and Industrial Development Policy (2015-2025), while promoting cooperation in production capacity and investment, said the communique.
The committees on economic and trade cooperation of the two governments should guide enterprises of the two countries to carry out long-term win-win cooperation in various forms, it said, adding that bilateral trade should be promoted to reach the goal of $6 billion in 2020.
China will expand its imports from Cambodia, said the communique.
“China welcomes the Cambodian government and enterprises to participate in the first China International Import Expo,” it said.
The expo will be held in November 2018 in Shanghai.
China welcomes more Cambodian agricultural products that meet China’s inspection and quarantine standards and consumers’ demands to enter the Chinese market, it said.
China will help Cambodia realize development in traffic engineering, hydraulic engineering, mine clearance, education and health, it said, adding that China will actively promote the construction of projects such as Cambodia-China Friendship Preah Kossamak Hospital and Tboung Khmum Provincial Hospital.
China supports competitive and reliable Chinese enterprises in enhancing cooperation with Cambodia in infrastructure, agriculture, water resources, energy, telecommunications, industry and tourism, said the communique.
China will continue to build and operate the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone (SSEZ) and actively participate in the construction of a high-speed way linking the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville port and a new airport in Siem Reap, a popular resort town in northwestern Cambodia.
The SSEZ, jointly established by China and Cambodia in 2008, is the biggest special economic zone in Cambodia. It has attracted more than 100 companies from China and other countries and created nearly 20,000 jobs for the local community.
Besides, China and Cambodia agreed to maintain exchanges between armed forces and law enforcement departments and boost cooperation in training and education, medical equipment, multilateral security, drug control, law enforcement capability building as well as fight against cross-border crimes, human trafficking, telecommunication fraud and terrorism, said the communique.
Both countries pledged to make good preparation for celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Cambodia this year, to enhance scientific, educational and cultural cooperation, and beef up understanding and friendship between the two peoples, especially between the youths of the two countries, according to the communique.
China will offer more Chinese government scholarships for Cambodians and help train Cambodian talents. Cambodia will continue to support the operation of organizations like the Chinese cultural center and the Confucius Institute, it said.
Both sides promised to support stronger roles of their friendly associations, think tanks, press and non-governmental organizations to cement people-to-people exchanges, said the communique.
They vowed to realize the goal of two million Chinese tourists visiting Cambodia in 2020, according to the communique, adding that China will continue to support protection and restoration of Cambodia’s cultural heritages such as Angkor Wat and Preah Vihear temple.
In addition, China and Cambodia will enhance coordination within the framework of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation and China-ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) cooperation to jointly build a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future and make more contributions to safeguarding stability, development and prosperity in the region and the world.
