PHNOM PENH — Visiting State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi met with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sar Kheng on May 11, discussing bilateral ties and cooperation.

When meeting with Hun Sen, Zhao conveyed regards from President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang to the prime minister. He said that President Xi Jinping and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen had met twice since last year and had reached important consensus to promote better development of bilateral relations in the new era. Premier Li paid a successful visit to Cambodia in January, 2018.

China and Cambodia are a community of common destiny which is of strategic importance. China will as always support Cambodia for choosing its own development path that meets the national conditions and support Cambodia for its efforts in promoting economic development and safeguarding sovereignty and national stability, Zhao said.

He said that China hopes to take the opportunity of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties this year to continue deepening bilateral pragmatic cooperation and expanding people-to-people and cultural exchanges.

China also hopes the two sides to fully implement “The Outline of Bilateral Cooperation Plan to Jointly Build the Belt and Road Initiative” signed between the two countries in May 2017, and strengthen cooperation in security and law enforcement of major cooperative projects, so as to boost the profound development of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Cooperation between China and Cambodia.

For his part, Hun Sen thanked China for its long-term support and help to Cambodia.

The Combodia-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Cooperation has reached a new level. Cambodia will further boost pragmatic cooperation with China in various fields to bring tangible benefits to both peoples, he said.

When meeting with Sar Kheng, Zhao said that China hopes the two countries to deepen pragmatic cooperation on law enforcement and security, improve the cooperation mechanism and innovate collaboration mode, so as to further strengthen the cooperation in maintaining national security, coping with cyber risk, and combating telemarketing scams, online gambling, drug and terrorism.

Sar Kheng said that the Cambodian side is willing to further strengthen the pragmatic cooperation with China in safeguarding national security, combating new transnational crime and maintaining security of projects under the Belt and Road Initiative.