Interview: Cambodian scholar says Chinese president's visit to solidify bilateral ties

Chinese President Xi Jinping's first visit to Cambodia will further consolidate all aspects of cooperation between the two countries, a scholar in Cambodia said.

Xi will pay a state visit to Cambodia on Thursday, marking the first visit to the Southeast Asian country since he took office in March 2013.

Joseph Matthews, director of ASEAN Education Center in Phnom Penh, said China has achieved remarkable progress in recent years in transforming the lives of its people under the inspiring and untiring leadership of President Xi.

It is expected that Chinese people over the coming decades will attain even greater heights of glory and realize the Chinese cream of national rejuvenation, he said.

The scholar praised China for its policy of sharing its success and prosperity with its neighbors and allies, saying that China has already pledged nearly 600 million U.S. dollars in aid to Cambodia this year.

Besides this, Cambodia has received billions of U.S. dollars in Chinese aid and loans to improve its dilapidated infrastructure, such as roads, railways, bridges and airports.

"Chinese aid and assistance can be seen everywhere in Cambodia, and the visit of President Xi, the leader of the world's second-largest economy, will further solidify all aspects of cooperation between Cambodia and China, particularly economic ties," he said.

Currently, Cambodia is facing plummeting rice prices and looking to China for an emergency 300-million-U.S. dollar funding package to stabilize the sector, he said.

The scholar said that the two countries cooperate in many areas, especially in economic and trade, politics and security. In recent years, they are also expanding ties in areas of cultural exchange and people-to-people relations.

"Cambodia and China are iron brothers. They enjoy unshakable friendly relations based on mutual respect and common perceptions on many regional and international issues," he said.

He added the unfolding of the China-Cambodia economic cooperation has heralded a new era of enhanced bilateral cooperation in their relationship, leading to mutual development and prosperity.

According to Matthews, the existing bonds of friendship between these two countries will go from strength to strength, and their all-weather strategic partnership will continue to serve the interests of peoples of both countries and the cause of peace, stability and prosperity.

"In my view, the brotherhood of Cambodia and China reflects close cooperation, mutual trust and understanding of each other's interests," he said. "The peoples of both countries stand together in protecting and promoting their shared values of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence."

He added that Cambodia and China have always stood by each other on regional and international forums and have together contributed to peace, security and stability within the region and across the world. Endit