PHNOM PENH, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- The unbreakable iron-clad friendship between Cambodia and China continues to drive mutual prosperity and remains a vital cornerstone for regional peace, security, and harmony, Cambodian officials and experts said on Friday.
Addressing nearly 1,000 students and teachers at the National Defense University during the second Angkor-Great Wall Forum in Phnom Penh, Path Kosal, secretary of state at the Office of the Council of Ministers, described the two countries as true and reliable friends whose partnership is rooted in history.
Strong diplomatic trust and strategic alignment help ease regional tensions and create the stable environment needed for shared economic growth, he said.
"Cambodia-China ties are built on mutual political trust, respect, support, and equal footing," Kosal said. "Although China is a large nation, it treats friendly countries, including smaller ones, as equals."
Kosal, who also serves as a personal adviser to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, praised China's neighborhood diplomacy, saying that China prioritizes its neighbors through the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness. This approach, he added, contributes significantly to regional peace, shared development, and the building of a community with a shared future among Asian neighbors.
"China's neighborhood diplomacy builds long-standing partnerships for mutual benefit and win-win cooperation," Kosal said.
He also highlighted the cultural, historical, and geographical bonds that underpin the relationship, saying China's engagement with its neighbors, particularly ASEAN member states, has become a cornerstone of its foreign diplomacy.
National Defense University Rector Dork Sopha described the iron-clad friendship between Cambodia and China as a cornerstone for regional peace, stability, and common development.
"The bond of friendship between the two countries did not happen by chance, but was built on mutual trust, mutual respect for sovereignty, and mutual support in all circumstances."
Sopha said that the friendship has overcome numerous obstacles, withstood the tests of changing international circumstances, and evolved into an iron-clad friendship.
Thong Mengdavid, deputy director of the China-ASEAN Studies Center at the Cambodia University of Technology and Science, said the relationship is deep-rooted, time-tested, and unbreakable, built on mutual trust, respect, and shared interests.
He added that this unbreakable bond should serve as a role model for inter-state relations.
"It has remained strong through changing regional and global circumstances because it is based on genuine friendship and long-term strategic cooperation, rather than temporary considerations," he told Xinhua.
Mengdavid noted that the partnership has significantly contributed to Cambodia's economic development, security, and national interests, while also supporting peace, stability, security, and development across the region. Cambodia, he said, remains committed to further strengthening this special relationship as a constructive force for regional cooperation and peaceful coexistence.
The strategic synergy between the two countries, he added, helps reinforce regional security frameworks and maintain balance amid shifting global dynamics. ■