China, Cambodia to enhance cooperation, boost ties

BEIJING, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislator Li Zhanshu on Monday stressed giving full play to the role of legislative bodies of China and Cambodia to help boost the development of bilateral relations.

Li, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, made the remarks when delivering a video speech at the opening ceremony for exchange activities between the NPC and the Cambodian National Assembly.

As iron-clad friends and a community with a shared future, China and Cambodia have firmly supported each other on issues concerning their core interests, said Li, adding that China will, as always, firmly support the Cambodian people's just cause and Cambodia's choice of development path, and provide assistance to Cambodia's national construction within China's capacity.

Li said China is willing to actively work with Cambodia to carry out vaccine cooperation.

Noting that both the bilateral free trade agreement and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement were inked last year, Li expressed the hope that the two sides would take this opportunity to tap the potential of economic and trade cooperation, to bring more tangible benefits for the two peoples.

China will embark on a new journey of fully building a modern socialist country this year, and that China will build a new development paradigm which is not only the needs of China's development but will also benefit the people of other countries, including the Cambodian people, Li said.

China welcomes Cambodia to seize the new opportunities of China's development and deepen cooperation with China, Li said.

Stressing that exchanges between legislative bodies are important part of bilateral relations, Li spoke highly of their role in promoting the implementation of the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, and in providing legal and policy support for cooperation in Belt and Road construction.

Li called for giving full play to the advantages of legislative bodies to carry forward the traditional friendship between the two countries and help boost the development of China-Cambodia relations.

Samdech Heng Samrin, president of Cambodia's National Assembly, said that the two countries worked together in the fight against the pandemic and made continuous advances in the construction of a Cambodia-China community with a shared future.

Samrin said the Cambodian National Assembly is willing to enhance exchanges and cooperation with the NPC and contribute to promoting practical cooperation in various fields and advancing relations between the two countries.