U.S. Secretary of State hails Cambodia for rapid development

Visiting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday hailed Cambodia for its rapid development and said the United States is committed to further enhancing ties with the Southeast Asian country.

"I am very conscious in returning here now in 2016 at the extraordinary distance that has been travelled by Cambodia, a country that has developed rapidly," Kerry said in a press briefing at the end of his 24-hour visit to Cambodia.

The U.S. top diplomat met separately with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong on Tuesday morning. He also met with acting head of the opposition party Kem Sokha.

"In every meeting, I made clear that we are committed, we, the United States of America, are committed to the relationship between our country and Cambodia, and we are committed to building on the progress we've already made in education, health, and cultural preservation," he said.

He added that the United States is also committed to promoting trade and investment ties with Cambodia for mutual benefits.

"We look forward to Trade and Investment Framework Agreement talks next month, and we will continue to explore ways to deepen our trade and investment relationship, including by helping to tackle corruption and exploring ways to strengthen Cambodia's legal institutions," he said. Endit