China, Cambodia vow to enhance cooperation, promote regional prosperity

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Chinese President Xi Jinping and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen vowed to strengthen bilateral cooperation and promote friendship between the two countries during a meeting in Beijing on Wednesday.

Hun Sen was on an official visit to China until Wednesday and attended the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing earlier in the week.

China attaches great importance to developing relations with Cambodia and is willing to make greater contributions to regional peace and prosperity with the country, Xi told Hun Sen during their meeting.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen arrives in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2017. /Xinhua Photo

Xi also called on both sides to enhance practical cooperation and implement plans and projects to promote Belt and Road Initiative construction, especially in capacity cooperation and investment.

For his part, Hun Sen said his country was ready to work with China to consolidate the traditional friendship and deepen bilateral cooperation in trade, poverty reduction, security and combating transnational crimes.

In a joint communique, China and Cambodia said they expected bilateral trade to reach six billion US dollars by 2020. They also agreed the South China Sea issue should be solved through dialogue and coordination by the countries directly involved.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) holds a welcome ceremony for Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen before their talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 16, 2017. /Xinhua Photo

On Tuesday, Hun Sen already met with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and the two countries signed a number of documents on cooperation in strategy coordination, infrastructure as well as economic and technological areas.

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