Happy Chinese New Year of the Tiger!
At this opportunemoment, I join my colleagues at the Chinese Embassy in Cambodia in extending our most sincere greetings and best wishes to Chinese compatriots working, studying, and living in Cambodia, as well as Cambodian friends from all walks of life who have long supported and contributed to the friendship between our two brotherly nations.
The Year of the Ox was nothing short of eventful. Together, we have accomplished major milestones.
It was a year of proud retrospect.
In July we marked the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China and the accomplishment of the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. China is now en route to a modern socialist country in all respects.
Later in November, the sixth plenum of the CPC’s 19th Central Committee adopted the Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century. Under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, China is building a new paradigm of high-quality development for the 14th 5-Year-Program, highlighting people’s well-being and peace of mind.
It was a year marked by friendship.
China-Cambodia community with a shared future, buttressed by strategic mutual trust and fruitful cooperation kept growing from strength to strength. Side by side did the CPC celebrate its centennial and the Cambodian People's Party its 70th anniversary. Congratulations from His Majesty the King, Her Majestry Queen Mother, and Samdech Prime Minister were most appreciated from the Chinese side, while President Xi Jinping’s congratulatory message, virtual meeting between the two prime ministers, exchange of visits between State Councillor Wang Yi and Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhonn among many other engagements kept the momentum of bilateral relations ever robust despite the pandemic.
Nothing is more illustrative than results.
China is the strategic backstop for Cambodia’s vaccine supply, an ever-growing market for Cambodian agricultural produces, the foremost trading partner of Cambodia with trade ingoods topping $10 billion ahead of schedule.
The year also saw the official launch of Morodok Techo National Stadium and further progress of major Belt and Road projects, inter alias, the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone, the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway, and the new Siem Reap International Airport.
It was as well a year of unremitting endeavors by Chinese compatriots in Cambodia. We will always remember commitment from the local Chinese communities promoting Chinese language education, hard work of Chinese enterprises and institutions contributing to bilateral cooperation, and sacrifices made by visiting experts and professionals helping consolidate China-Cambodia friendship in this time of need.
Taking this opportunity, I wish to express my most heartfelt gratitude for your devoted dedication.
The Year of the Tiger is another year of action and great expectations.
It is one marked with cheerful events, starting with the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics and later in the second half of the year, the much anticipated 20th National Congress of the CPC.
Our commitment to the path of peaceful development, to the promotion of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit. China chooses to stand firm on the right side of history and the side the human progress, in our effort to contribute to peace, stability, development, and prosperity in our region and beyond.
I have no doubt that this new year holds new promises for China-Cambodia relations. Within the overarching framework of a community with a shared future, and highlighting post-COVID recovery, there is a lot we can do to harness the opportunities of the newly effective RCEP and China-Cambodia Free Trade Agreement by enhancing trade ties, farm produces in particular, to upgrade cooperation on COVID prevention and control, infrastructure and industrial cooperation.
China staunchly supports Cambodia’s efforts assuming chairmanship of ASEAN and a bigger role in regional and international affairs, with a view to ASEAN centrality in regional architecture.
As ever, the Chinese Embassy will stay committed to the people-first principle and make every effort to provide better services and assistance, and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests to our fellow Chinese compatriots who live, work and study in the brotherly country of Cambodia.
May the people of Chinaand Cambodia enjoy peace, progress and prosperity!
May China-Cambodia friendship flourish and prosper forever!
May all fellow compatriots in Cambodia enjoy a happy Lunar New Year, successful endeavors, great happiness and good health!
Wang Wentian
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
of the People’s Republic of China to Kingdom of Cambodia