Interview: Cambodian PM's China visit to inject new vitality into bilateral ties: expert

PHNOM PENH, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- The upcoming visit of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet to China will bring fresh momentum to bilateral ties and cooperation, a Cambodian expert said on Tuesday.

Hun Manet is scheduled to pay an official visit to Beijing from Sept. 14 to Sept. 16 at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, the Cambodian foreign ministry said in a press statement.

It will be his first official overseas visit after taking office on Aug. 22.

Seun Sam, a policy analyst at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said Manet's upcoming trip to China shows that Cambodia's new government has attached great importance to strengthening Cambodia-China ties, and that it also reflects the unbreakable ironclad friendship between the two countries.

"The visit is expected to deepen and consolidate existing ties, as well as open up new paths for cooperation and growth for Cambodia," he told Xinhua.

"It will strengthen the historical and cultural ties that Cambodia and China already have in order to deepen cooperation, particularly under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)."

The expert said the visit would create a lot of possibilities for the future growth of Cambodia, as it underlines the close bilateral connections and the potential for greater sectoral cooperation between the two countries.

"It will give a boost to the bilateral cooperation in a number of areas such as politics, economy, trade, investment, industry, tourism, agriculture, culture and education," he said.

The expert said China has been a major donor and investor in Cambodia's infrastructure projects, including roads, bridges, expressways, ports and airports, which have significantly improved Cambodia's trade and connectivity.

"These investments have the potential to accelerate Cambodia's economic growth and provide job opportunities for its people," he said.

Sam said the visit would also help create a strong platform for greater China-Cambodia cooperation and coordination.

"It will emphasize the opportunity for economic expansion, cross-cultural interactions, educational opportunities, and tourism growth," he said.

"I believe that through the visit, more Chinese investors and tourists will come to this Southeast Asian country."

Sam is confident that through the visit, the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation and the ironclad friendship between the two countries will be further strengthened towards building a high-quality, high-level and high-standard Cambodia-China community of a shared future in the new era.