Interview: Deeply-rooted Cambodia-China ties unbreakable: Cambodian scholar

PHNOM PENH, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Mutual political trust, respect, support, non-interference and win-win cooperation have driven Cambodia-China ties to the highest-ever level in their history, a Cambodian scholar said on Sunday.

Kin Phea, director-general of the International Relations Institute of Cambodia, an arm of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said the Cambodia-China close relations have not only benefited both countries and peoples, but also contributed to promoting regional peace, security and stability.

"China is the most trusted friend of Cambodia," he told Xinhua. "The friendship between the two countries has rooted deeply based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, nonaggression, noninterference, and equality and mutual benefit."

Phea said Cambodia is always the strongest supporter of the one-China principle.

"China-Cambodia friendship has stood the test of international vicissitudes and turbulence, and remained as rock solid and unbreakable as ever," he said.

The scholar said China has been Cambodia's top foreign investor, official development aid provider and trading partner, and that Chinese investment and aid have greatly contributed to the socioeconomic development and poverty reduction in the Southeast Asian nation.

The scholar said the close cooperation between the two countries under the mechanisms of the Belt and Road Initiative, the Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership as well as the joint COVID-19 fight have also injected new impetus into the bilateral ties.

"These mechanisms have provided and will continue to provide tremendous benefits to Cambodia," Phea said. "Chinese COVID-19 vaccines have not only protected millions of lives, but also helped revive the economy in Cambodia."

The scholar said it was the right decision made by Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen to choose China as the kingdom's key vaccine supplier.

"I believe that China will continue to play a greater role in helping Cambodia recover its economy from the pandemic," he said.

At regional and global levels, Phea said Cambodia has always maintained good relations with China within the multilateral levels of the ASEAN framework such as ASEAN Plus One, ASEAN Plus Three and the Lancang-Mekong cooperation, among others.

"The two countries fully uphold multilateralism, especially the multilateral trading system, whereby the World Trade Organization (WTO) is the core driver for promoting international relations based on the principles of mutual respect, equity and win-win cooperation," he said.

"Cambodia's ironclad friendship with China has also helped strengthen and broaden the China-ASEAN cooperation, ensure the rights and interests of developing countries, and promote regional peace and stability," he added.

Phea said the Cambodia-China close ties in all aspects will contribute to further building a community with a shared future between the two countries.