The prospects for Cambodia-China cooperation

Cambodia and China have enjoyed a long-standing and special relationship established and nurtured by successive generations of leaders continuing to the present day. The historical bond has grown from strength to strength and developed into an ironclad friendship, driven by strong political trust and a deep sense of mutual respect for independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and noninterference. This friendship is a solid foundation for building an all-weather Cambodia-China community with a shared future in the new era, as both countries continue to deepen their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and enrich cooperation under the Diamond Hexagon Cooperation Framework.

Cambodia has consistently supported the "One-China Policy" and regards issues related to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xizang, and Xinjiang as the internal matters of China, while China firmly supports Cambodia in pursuing its own development path suitable for its national characteristics.

Both countries have maintained frequent all-level engagement and communication that promote close and mutually beneficial cooperation in various areas including politics, economy, trade and investment, tourism, education, people-to-people connectivity, innovation, energy, and defense and security, among others. Cambodia is among the first countries to support various initiatives proposed by China including the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative.

Under the BRI, many win-win infrastructure projects, which align with Cambodia's development priorities, have contributed to our remarkable economic growth. These encompass Siem Reap Angkor International Airport, Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway, Preah Sihanouk Special Economic Zone, and among others. The Chinese side supports Cambodia in developing Funan Techo Integrated Water Resources Management Project under the principle of feasibility and sustainability.

Economic and trade cooperation between the two countries has grown steadily over the past decades, fueled by a shared strategic vision, and mutual trust. Since the signing of the Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement in 2020, the two-way trade has substantially increased. Both countries have jointly developed "Industrial and Technology" and "Fish and Rice "corridors to enhance Cambodia-China agricultural modernization and deepen cooperation in production capacity and industrial manufacturing. The two nations are working to promote investment in emerging sectors such as digital economy and innovation, as well as green and sustainable development.

Furthermore, both countries continue to make full use of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA). Cambodia supports the accession of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China to the RCEP and welcomes the fact that ASEAN and China have completed negotiations on the ACFTA 3.0 Upgrade Protocol, which will deepen regional cooperation.

The two countries also emphasize the importance of fostering people-to-people connectivity to promote mutual understanding and cultural exchange. After the successful conclusion of the"2024 Year of People-to-People Exchange", the two countries have designated the Year 2025 as the "Year of Tourism", marking a new chapter of deepening people-to-people exchange.

Looking ahead, Cambodia remains committed to deepening cooperation with China across all sectors, delivering tangible benefits to both nations and contributing to a more peaceful, prosperous, and integrated region.

The Prospects for cooperation under the SCO framework

Since obtaining SCO Dialogue Partner status in 2015, Cambodia has consistently valued its engagement with the SCO and actively participated in its cooperative activities. Cambodia attaches great significance to fostering close cooperation with all SCO member states, observers and dialogue partners in promoting the "Shanghai Spirit" — grounded in mutual trust and benefit, equality and consultation, respect for diverse cultures, and common development.

Economically, the SCO represents over 40 percent of the world population, and over 20 percent of the world's GDP. This positions Cambodia to benefit significantly from increasing and diversifying bilateral economic exchanges and development cooperation with China and key trading partners.

Furthermore, Cambodia seeks to leverage the opportunities within this expansive region striving for peace, stability, deeper integration, connectivity and seamless flow of trade and investment for all.

Cambodia envisions the SCO as a platform that embodies a new model for cooperation, one that prioritizes mutually beneficial engagement, respects sovereignty, and refrains from interfering in the internal affairs of individual states. This aligns with Cambodia's commitment to a foreign policy of peace, neutrality, and respect for sovereignty of each nation.

Looking ahead, Cambodia will work closely with China and key partners to strengthen both bilateral and multilateral cooperation including through the SCO framework. We will continue to deepen mutual trust through regular consultations and find new approaches to further promote win-win cooperation within the SCO mechanism.

The author is Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia.

The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.