Cambodian King Meets China's Top Legislator

Cambodian King Meets China's Top Legislator

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Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk met in Phnom Penh Friday evening Chairman Li Peng of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) of China, and the two leaders said that they are very pleased with the healthy development of Sino-Cambodian relations.

In their meeting in the Royal Palace, Sihanouk said Chinese President Jiang Zemin's visit to Cambodia last November has greatly promoted the development of Cambodia-China relations.

He thanked the Chinese government and people for their selfless assistance to the Cambodian people in the past decades, especially during the Cambodian people's struggle for national independence and in the course of economic development.

Li said that his current visit is aimed at promoting friendly exchanges and cooperation between the NPC and the Cambodian parliament.

During Chinese President Jiang Zemin's successful visit to Cambodia last November, Li said, the two countries signed a joint statement, which servers as guidelines for the development of bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries. Li said that he will meet President Norodom Ranariddh of the Cambodian National Assembly and other Cambodian leaders Saturday and exchange views on various regional and international issues.

The discussions are expected to enhance the existing friendship and expand cooperation between the two Asian countries, he said.

Li praised King Sihanouk for his contribution to the development of Sino-Cambodian relations in the past decades.

The Chinese leader said that he is grateful to the king and the Cambodian government for their adherence to the One-China policy and their support for the cause of the Chinese people for the peaceful unification of their motherland.

After the meeting, King Sihanouk gave a state banquet in Chairman Li's honor.

Li arrived Friday afternoon for a four-day official goodwill visit, which will also take him to Brunei and South Korea.