Xi Jinping Meets with Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Manet

On the morning of October 19, 2023, President Xi Jinping met at the Great Hall of the People with Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Manet who is in China to attend the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF).

Xi Jinping pointed out that since the establishment of diplomatic relations 65 years ago, China and Cambodia have respected, trusted and supported each other and contributed to each other's success, setting a fine example of equal treatment and win-win cooperation between countries different in size. Both China and Cambodia are countries that value friendship, and the China-Cambodia ironclad friendship is unbreakable. The two sides need to visit each other frequently, maintain high-level strategic communication, make good use of the Intergovernmental Coordination Committee mechanism, and implement the action plan for building a China-Cambodia community with a shared future in the new era, to bring the two countries even closer.

Xi Jinping stressed that the Belt and Road cooperation has brought tangible development opportunities to Cambodia. China is ready to uphold the principle of "planning together, building together, and benefiting together", enhance synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and Cambodia's Pentagonal Strategy, flesh out the China-Cambodia "diamond hexagon" cooperation framework at a faster pace, build well the "Industrial Development Corridor" and the "Fish and Rice Corridor", and push for the implementation of more projects that benefit the people. China supports Cambodia's projects such as airport construction and cultural relic restoration, welcomes more Cambodian agricultural products to the Chinese market, and encourages more Chinese tourists to visit Cambodia. Xi Jinping expressed his readiness to declare together with Hun Manet the year 2024 the China-Cambodia Year of People-to-People Exchanges.

Hun Manet said he listened attentively to President Xi Jinping's keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the third BRF on Wednesday, and believes that the speech demonstrates President Xi's strategic vision, and has proposed major practical measures that will surely lead to greater success in Belt and Road cooperation. The Cambodian side applauds this and wishes to offer warm congratulations. He thanked China for its valuable support to Cambodia over the years, and stressed that Cambodia steadfastly pursues a friendly policy toward China and firmly supports China's core interests. Cambodia is ready to take the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Cambodia and China as an opportunity to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with China, advance cooperation on the "Industrial Development Corridor" and the "Fish and Rice Corridor", and build a Cambodia-China community with a shared future. More Chinese tourists are welcome to visit Cambodia. Cambodia actively supports the series of important initiatives put forward by President Xi Jinping, and believe that they have provided important opportunities and platforms for world peace and development.

Cai Qi and Wang Yi were present at the meeting.