Japan has voiced support for Cambodia’s role as the ASEAN Chair this year and the country’s initiatives and efforts to solve the political crisis in Myanmar.
The support was made by H.E. FUMIO Kishida, Prime Minister of Japan, in a meeting with H.E. Lt. Gen. Hun Manet, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) and Commander of the Royal Cambodian Army in Tokyo, Japan on Feb. 16.
H.E. FUMIO Kishida hoped that under the leadership of Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Cambodia will significantly contribute to addressing any problems that ASEAN is facing.
The Japanese Premier thanked Cambodia for taking part in the celebration of 30th anniversary of Japanese Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) in Cambodia, stressing that this will reflect the strong relations between the two countries in the cause of world peace.
Japan considers Cambodia as a good friend and intends to deepen its relationship with Cambodia and to boost their partnership in peacekeeping operations in the region and the world, as well as in the Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy (FOIP) for peace, stability, joint development and prosperity.
From his end, H.E. Lt. Gen. Hun Manet informed the Japanese leader of the Cambodian Premier’s stance in supporting the celebration of the PKO’s 30th anniversary in Cambodia, saying that “we should turn the commemoration into the strengthening and expansion of cooperation between both nations in the field of national defence”.
H.E. Lt. Gen. Hun Manet recalled that Cambodia used to receive POK forces in 1992-1993 and now, Cambodia has become a country contributing to the world’s peacekeeping by sending troops to the conflicted countries under the UN umbrella.
He also spoke highly of the good relations and cooperation between the two countries, and unveiled his initiative to develop Cambodia-Japan relations from strategic partnership to comprehensive strategic partnership as possible in future.
