Joint cultural show held to celebrate 65th anniversary of Cambodia-China diplomatic ties

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- A joint cultural show was held here to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Cambodia-China diplomatic relations, attracting thousands of spectators.

Held at the Diamond Island's Grand Theater on Monday night, the event was jointly performed by a troupe of Chinese artists from Southwest China's Yunnan Province and a team of Cambodian artists from the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the show, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Cabinet Minister Vongsey Visoth said the show was a testament to the promotion of cultural and tourism exchanges between the two countries.

"China is a great friend who has helped Cambodia protect and develop our national heritage," he said.

He added that China has actively engaged in the restoration and preservation of Cambodia's cultural heritage sites through providing grant aid for the restoration of the Chau Say Tevoda temple, the Ta Keo temple, and the Royal Palace of the Angkor Thom in the Angkor Archeological Park in Siem Reap province and the Preah Vihear temple in Preah Vihear province, among others.

Meanwhile, Visoth highlighted that the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has played an important role in boosting infrastructure connectivity, economics, trade, investment and people-to-people exchange between the two countries in a journey towards building a Cambodia-China community with a shared future.

He said Chinese major investment projects in Cambodia under the BRI included the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone, the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway, the Phnom Penh-Bavet Expressway, the Siem Reap-Angkor international airport, the Morodok Techo National Stadium and two friendship hospitals, among others.

"Chinese investment and aid have greatly contributed to the socioeconomic development and the improvement of people's livelihoods and well-being in Cambodia," Visoth said.

Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian said amity between peoples is the key to the relationship between countries.

"China attaches great importance to cultural exchanges and people-to-people interactions between the two nations," he said at the opening ceremony.

The ambassador said over the past 65 years, China and Cambodia have helped each other and shared weal and woe.

"Our relationship has withstood the test of time and evolving international landscape, growing from strength to strength," Wang said. "It has become a model for jointly building a new type of international relations and building a community with a shared future for mankind."

During the two-hour glittering cultural show, Chinese artists presented ethnic songs and dances, while Cambodian artists performed classical blessing dance, mask dance and folk songs.

Each of the performances had drawn hearty rounds of applause from the audience.

Keang Mouyhea, a 16-year-old student at the Secondary School of Fine Arts, said it was a splendid and colorful show, as all artists are very professional and talented.

"The show has helped us to know better about the unique cultures of Cambodia and China," she told Xinhua.

"The Chinese artists had performed well together and their gestures were vivid and interesting," she added.

Ean Rithysak, a 19-year-old student at the Royal University of Fine Arts, said it was his first time to see Chinese cultural show by his own eyes.

"The show not only helps promote Cambodia-China cultural ties, but also increase people-to-people bond of friendship," he told Xinhua.