Top Chinese Legislator Meets Cambodian Deputy PM

Top Chinese Legislator Meets Cambodian Deputy PM

China and Cambodia have a time-honored friendship, with bilateral friendly relations developing steadily in recent years, said Li Peng, China's top legislator, Monday.

China highly values the Sino-Cambodian friendship initiated and fostered by King Norodom Sihanouk and the Chinese leadership, said Li, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), at a meeting with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng.

Li said that China is delighted to see that Cambodia, under the leadership of King Sihanouk, has made remarkable achievements since it realized national reconciliation.

"The current peaceful situation in Cambodia is hard-won, and we sincerely hope that the results of national reconciliation will be consolidated, so as to benefit the Cambodian people and promote peace and stability in the region," he said.

He said that China's Ministry of Public Security and the Cambodian Ministry of the Interior Affairs are two important parts of their respective governments, shouldering responsibilities for maintaining social stability and ensuring smooth national growth.

China supports exchanges and cooperation between the two ministries, in order to promote bilateral cooperation to combat cross-border crimes, Li added.

Sar Kheng, also minister of the Interior Affairs, said that the Cambodian government and his ministry place great importance on friendly and cooperative relations with their Chinese counterparts, and are willing to increase information exchange and cooperation with China in cracking down on cross-border crimes.