Cambodia supports the elevation of ASEAN-China relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and the adoption of the Joint Statement on the ASEAN-China Summit to Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations.
Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia voiced the support while attending the ASEAN-China Special Summit to Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations held via videoconference this morning.
Cambodia also welcomes President Xi Jinping's global development initiative which will become a major support for developing countries in revitalising the post-COVID-19 socio-economic growth, and promoting human rights, through sustainable development and poverty reduction, he said, adding that in this spirit, Cambodia hopes that this initiative will complement and support the ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to be more meaningful, founded on an adherence to a mutually beneficial and practical cooperation.
As for the future direction, he continued, Cambodia would like to encourage ASEAN-China to continue strengthening regional connectivity in line with the spirit of the ASEAN-China Joint Statement on Synergising the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) 2025 and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to optimise the flows of goods, services and people. At the same time, in addition to the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA), ASEAN-China should further promote and pay more attention to the maximisation of the benefits of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) which will strengthen the foundation for long-term economic growth, and bring about mutual prosperity in line with the ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership Vision 2030.
According to the Cambodian Premier, ASEAN-China should adopt a multilateral system to promote cooperation in all fields, and resolve all common regional and global challenges in a peaceful manner, and based on the spirit of mutual trust and confidence, with an aim of achieving peace, stability as well as good and fruitful cooperation in the region. In this regard, Cambodia would like to support the initiative to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) in 2022. Cambodia also highly appreciates the progress of the negotiations towards the completion of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) with sufficient content and high efficiency.
Samdech Techo Prime Minister took the opportunity to extend his congratulations to China on its rapid recovery with a growth rate of approximately 9.8 percent during the first nine months of 2021. “Cambodia would also like to thank and highly appreciate China for its active contribution to combating COVID-19, revitalising and boosting socio-economic growth in Cambodia, in the region and in the world. Cambodia would also like to encourage China to continue providing assistances to ASEAN, especially by supporting the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework (ACRF) and initiatives to respond to COVID-19. For the time being, Cambodia would like to encourage China to resume traveling between ASEAN-China to strengthen and promote tourism, air transport services, business activities, trade and investment,” he said.
Over the past three decades, Samdech Techo Hun Sen underlined, ASEAN-China has established close, united and fruitful relations, providing mutual benefits and contributing significantly to bringing about peace, stability, security, prosperity and sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development for both regions. As China has become one of the leading superpowers, and been playing increasingly many important roles in the region and the world, while ASEAN has been playing a progressively broader role, ASEAN-China relations will become even more important, crucial, meaningful and fruitful for both regions as well as the whole world, especially in revitalising and boosting socio-economic growth in the context of COVID-19.
Source: Agency Kampuchea Press