China, Cambodia to enhance strategic cooperation

BEIJING -- Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong on Thursday co-chaired the first meeting of China-Cambodia Intergovernmental Coordination Committee in Beijing.

During the meeting, the two sides achieved broad consensus on enhancing comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation, said a written statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

It said the two sides have defined the next-step goals and measures for boosting cooperation in the areas of economics and trade, agriculture, defense, law-enforcement and culture.

Noting that China and Cambodia are good neighbors, partners and brothers, Yang said China will continue to deepen comprehensive strategic cooperation with Cambodia and support Cambodia in maintaining stability, speeding up development and playing a bigger role in international and regional affairs.

The establishment of the China-Cambodia Intergovernmental Coordination Committee is an important decision made by leaders of the two countries in accordance with the needs of promoting bilateral relations, he said.

China is willing to work with Cambodia to make good use of this important platform to push for new results in bilateral strategic cooperation to achieve common development and create tangible benefits for the people of the two countries, said Yang.

Hor Namhong said his delegation was glad to be the first foreign delegation that the Chinese government received in the new year.

He thanked China for supporting Cambodia to maintain stability and develop its economy, noting that his country is ready to strengthen all-round cooperation with China.

The deputy prime minister said the newly established committee is a high-level cooperative mechanism between the two countries, which involves multiple governmental sectors and covers a broad set of issues.

Cambodia will closely coordinate with China to push forward bilateral cooperation in various fields, he said.

The two sides also exchanged views on cooperation between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and reached an important consensus, said the statement.

At the end of the meeting, Yang Jiechi and Hor Namhong presided over the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of the Intergovernmental Coordination Committee between China and Cambodia as well as several cooperative documents, including an air services agreement.