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Canada looks to reinvigorate ties with Cambodia

Xinhua, September 2, 2016 Adjust font size:

Canada opened a diplomatic office in Cambodia on Friday seven years after it closed its embassy here, said visiting Canadian Foreign Minister Stephane Dion.

Stephane made the remarks while paying a courtesy call on Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen at the Peace Palace, according to Eang Sophalleth, a personal assistant to Hun Sen.

"His Excellency Stephane told the prime minister that Canada has paid high attention to enhancing its partnership with Cambodia," Sophalleth told reporters after the meeting.

Stephane said his visit to Cambodia was also to open the Canada's diplomatic office in Phnom Penh after Canada closed its embassy in 2009, according to the assistant.

Meanwhile, the Canadian foreign minister pledged to encourage Canadian investors to Cambodia, particularly in the fields of insurance, information technology, water management and environment.

For his part, Hun Sen asked Canada to help Cambodia mitigate the impacts of climate change, saying that this year the Southeast Asian country had been badly hit by drought and had seen more storms and lightning strikes than previous years.

He also urged Canada to consider assisting the ASEAN Regional Mine Action Centre (ARMAC) headquartered in Phnom Penh.

Later in the day, Stephane held talks with his Cambodian counterpart Prak Sokhonn and the two ministers agreed to enhance bilateral ties and cooperation for mutual benefits, according to Cambodian Foreign Ministry spokesman Chum Sounry.

"His Excellency Prak Sokhonn had welcomed the official opening of the Canada's diplomatic office in Phnom Penh," the spokesman told reporters.

He added that both sides also discussed ways to promote trade, investment and tourism ties.

Trade volume between the two countries reached over 800 million U.S. dollars in 2015, and the number of Canadian tourists visiting Cambodia was nearly 57,000 last year, up 8.7 percent year-on-year.

According to the spokesman, Canada also expressed its desire to sign an agreement on investment promotion and protection with Cambodia. Endit