On April 22, 2016, when meeting the press together with Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhon of Cambodia, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that on the basis of carrying forward the traditional friendship and upholding mutual respect, mutual understanding, as well as mutual support, China and Cambodia have become good friends that bear utter devotion to each other and good partners that share weal and woe. China appreciates the Cambodian side for its consistent understanding and firm support to China’s core interests and major concerns. China will also offer staunch support to Cambodia on safeguarding sovereignty, national dignity as well as its own development rights and exploring a development path that accords with national conditions of Cambodia. The mutual support of both countries has carried forward the traditional friendship, fitted the expectation of both peoples, strongly protected regional peace and stability and safeguarded international fairness and justice.
Wang Yi expressed that I just paid a visit to His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk and conveyed warm regards from President Xi Jinping. Prior to that, Minister Prak Sokhon and I have exchanged views on deepening the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, and discussed the cooperation direction and areas at the next stage regarding the implementation of the consensus reached by both leaders, reaching a series of consensus:
First, promote a better development of China-Cambodia relations. Both sides should maintain high-level exchanges, enhance strategic communication, dovetail development strategies and effectively advance the Belt and Road initiative and production capacity cooperation so as to bring more tangible benefits to both peoples.
Second, maintain close coordination and cooperation and well safeguard common interests. The Chinese side supports the Cambodian side in playing a bigger role in international and regional affairs, and believes the Cambodian side will continue to make important contribution to the development of China-ASEAN relations. China is willing to, together with Cambodia, well implement the outcomes of the first Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Leaders' Meeting to achieve early harvest at an early date. China supports Cambodia in hosting the second Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and Leaders’ Meeting on Lancang-Mekong Cooperation.
Third, reach important consensus on the South China Sea issue. Both sides exchanged in-depth views on current South China Sea situation. Cambodia supports China’s stance and proposition on the South China Sea issue and China supports Cambodia’s stance. The Chinese side speaks highly of Cambodia’s long-term, consistent, objective and fair position on major international and regional affairs including the South China Sea issue. The Cambodian side always makes independent judgment based on the right and wrong of the case, which will definitely enhance the mutual trust and friendly sentiment between the two peoples.
Wang Yi stressed that China will steadfastly deepen China-Cambodia comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and make efforts and contributions to a prosperous as well as strong Cambodia.