68 years on, China-Cambodia ties reach a new high
新闻台署名 来源：新华社、《黎明报》、《阿拉伯新闻》、阿纳多卢通讯社与《分钟镜报》。由 GSRRA 编辑部翻译并节选。
by Joseph Matthews
As Cambodia and China mark 68 years of diplomatic relations, their bilateral relationship has evolved significantly.
Established on July 19, 1958, through the historic engagement of the previous generations of leaders of the two countries, bilateral relations have withstood changing international dynamics.
By sharing weal and woe, both sides have forged an ironclad friendship that remains a precious asset for both nations and their peoples.
What began as early diplomatic solidarity has transformed into a robust economic partnership and, ultimately, an unbreakable ironclad friendship.
The concept of an ironclad friendship signifies a mutual commitment to preserving strategic stability and providing core support, regardless of global geopolitical evolution.
Both nations have consistently adhered to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, multilateralism, and close coordination within regional frameworks like the ASEAN-China mechanisms and the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation.
Cambodia became an early partner in the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) following its launch in 2013. Under the BRI and complementary bilateral agreements, economic cooperation between the two countries has facilitated major infrastructure and trade projects in three main areas: the industrial development corridor, transport and connectivity, and trade integration.
Centered around the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone, the industrial development corridor helps transform Cambodia’s coastal Preah Sihanouk province into a premier manufacturing and export hub.
As a result of infrastructure cooperation, major expressways, deep-sea ports, international airports, hydropower plants, key bridges and national roads have been built in Cambodia.
Concurrently, the China-Cambodia Free Trade Agreement and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership have granted Cambodian goods greater access to the Chinese market, making China Cambodia’s primary trading partner and a main source of foreign direct investment.
Beyond the BRI, the bilateral partnership was further underpinned by the “Diamond Hexagon” cooperation framework, which has boosted engagement in six priority areas: politics, production capacity, agriculture, energy, security, and people-to-people exchanges.
The framework continues to inject strong momentum into building an all-weather Cambodia-China community with a shared future in the new era to a higher level.
Moving forward, the cooperation between the two countries will continue to deepen. Besides relying on high-level political rapport, relations are increasingly embedded in institutionalized, multi-sectoral integration designed for long-term durability.
The 68-year relationship between the two Asian countries has reached a new high, characterized by an ironclad friendship and a deeply rooted and mutually beneficial community with a shared future.
Editor’s note: Joseph Matthews is a senior professor at the BELTEI International University in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Reference Link:- https://english.news.cn/20260719/45d0f37ad1d042de8aef43d3dccb9478/c.html
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…
