Chinese Defense Minister Visits CambodiaChinese Defense Minister Chi Haotian arrived in Phnom Penh on Tuesday to start a five-day goodwill visit to Cambodia.Chi, also vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission and a state councilor, came here at the invitation of Cambodia's Co-Defense Ministers Tea Banh and Prince Sisowath Sereyrath. In a written statement issued at the Phnom Penh Pochetong Airport, Chi said that his visit is aimed at expanding military cooperation in various fields and implementing a wide range of consensus reached by the leaders of China and Cambodia during Chinese President Jiang Zemin's visit to Cambodia last year. Chi said that the friendship between the two countries has lasted for many generations. The Sino-Cambodian friendship nurtured by Chinese leaders of three generations and King Sihanouk have been deeply rooted in the heart of the two peoples. "To further cement and promote Sino-Cambodia friendship in the new century not only serves the fundamental interests of the two peoples, but also contributes to peace and stability in the region," he said. Before coming to Cambodia, Chi had visited Laos and Vietnam. Cambodia is the third leg of Chi's four-nation Asia tour, which also includes Nepal. |
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