Samdech Maha Rathsapheathika Thipadei Khuon Sudary, President of the National Assembly of Cambodia, received a high-level Chinese delegation led by Hon. Dr. Zhang Zhichuan, Vice-Chairman of the Standing Committee of the People’s Congress of Shaanxi Province, at the National Assembly Palace this morning.
In her remarks, Samdech Khuon Sudary stressed that the visit was highly significant in the context of parliamentary cooperation. She noted that such exchanges provide opportunities not only to expand cooperation in new areas but also to further strengthen the traditional bonds of friendship between two countries, founded on mutual trust, respect, understanding, and benefit.
Recalling the historic foundations of bilateral ties, Samdech highlighted that Cambodia–China relations were forged by the late King Father Norodom Sihanouk and Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong and Premier Zhou Enlai, and were further advanced under the leadership of Samdech Techo Hun Sen, President of the Senate; Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Cambodia; as well as H.E. Xi Jinping, President of China, and other Chinese leaders.
She underscored the importance of the “Diamond Cooperation Framework and Action Plan 2024–2028,” adopted by the two countries to elevate their partnership to a new level with the goal of building a Cambodia–China Community of Shared Future in the New Era, characterised by high quality, high level, and high standards.
She added that Cambodia–China ties are honored as an “iron-clad friendship,” further deepened during President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Cambodia in April 2025, when relations were elevated to an “all-weather community of shared future.”
For his part, Dr. Zhang introduced Shaanxi Province as an important industrial hub in central China, with a population of 32 million and a GDP per capita of US$11,000. He outlined four key pillars of Shaanxi’s development: agriculture, culture and tourism, energy and electricity, and mineral resources and technology.
Dr. Zhang also emphasised youth exchanges as a vital foundation for long-term friendship. He pointed out that while Cambodian culture and landmarks such as Angkor Wat are featured in Shaanxi middle school textbooks, few students from the province have had the opportunity to visit Cambodia. He therefore called for more youth-to-youth exchanges to deepen cultural and civilisational understanding.
Samdech Khuon Sudary underlined the importance of people-to-people cooperation, noting that it complements bilateral relations at the national level. She congratulated the sister-city partnership between Siem Reap and Shaanxi, which plays an important role in advancing exchanges in tourism, culture, and education.
The Shaanxi delegation extended invitations to Samdech to lead the delegations to visit the province to explore cooperation in agriculture and tourism, and to participate in the China Taiyuan International Energy Forum in September 2025—the only international energy-focused forum in China — which will bring together governments, enterprises, and global stakeholders.
Samdech Khuon Sudary underlined that China remains Cambodia’s indispensable strategic economic partner in the nation’s journey toward becoming a high-income developed country by 2050, in line with China’s vision for 2049.
Samdech also expressed deep gratitude to China for its unwavering support for Cambodia’s socio-economic development, resilience, independence, and territorial integrity, including amid the Cambodia–Thailand border issue.
She also extended appreciation to China for providing humanitarian assistance to Cambodian refugees who were displaced from their homes amid military clashes along the Cambodia–Thailand border.
Samdech reaffirmed that Cambodia is a peace-loving country, firmly upholding the principles of peaceful coexistence and respect for international law. She emphasised that Cambodia has strictly implemented the ceasefire agreement, which was initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump and facilitated by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in his capacity as ASEAN Chair, with the active participation of the People’s Republic of China and other friendly countries.
In conclusion, Dr. Zhang expressed heartfelt appreciation, saying the Cambodian side had made the Shaanxi delegation feel “at home” during their stay.
