Cambodia and China Expand Strategic Agenda, Highlight Regional Cooperation and Joint Security Efforts

PHNOM PENH, November 5, 2026 — Cambodia and China have outlined a broader agenda for strengthening bilateral relations, placing greater emphasis on regional development, economic connectivity, security cooperation and the implementation of strategic agreements between their leaders.

The priorities were discussed during a meeting in Beijing on November 4 between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and H.E. Prak Sokhonn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia, who travelled to China for the 11th Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

Wang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, welcomed Cambodia's contribution to the regional gathering and highlighted the potential of Lancang-Mekong cooperation to support economic growth, national development and improved living standards across the region.

He said the longstanding friendship between Cambodia and China had continued to strengthen through successive generations of leaders, with their all-weather community with a shared future entering a deeper stage of development. Wang also pointed to the Diamond Hexagon framework as an important mechanism for delivering tangible benefits to the Cambodian people.

Against the backdrop of international challenges, Wang stressed that China would maintain its support for Cambodia's independent development choices and seek closer strategic coordination with Phnom Penh.

He also outlined China's domestic development priorities following the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, which he said reaffirmed the importance of strengthening Party governance and pursuing people-centred, high-quality development. According to Wang, the country's preparations for implementing the 15th Five-Year Plan would provide additional opportunities for cooperation between the two countries.

Turning to specific areas of partnership, Wang encouraged both governments to prepare for upcoming high-level exchanges and protect their common strategic interests. He identified the Industrial Development Corridor and Fish and Rice Corridor as important priorities, alongside expanded cooperation in infrastructure, agriculture and other practical sectors.

Regional cooperation also featured prominently in the discussions. Wang called for stronger implementation of existing Lancang-Mekong projects to improve people's livelihoods and closer coordination within China-ASEAN and East Asia cooperation mechanisms. He also expressed support for advancing a more equitable and reasonable system of global governance.

Security cooperation remained another central issue, with Wang emphasizing that joint efforts against telecommunications fraud must continue without interruption and that both countries should prevent the resurgence of such criminal networks.

In response, H.E. Prak Sokhonn welcomed China's successful hosting of the foreign ministers' meeting and thanked Beijing for facilitating informal exchanges between the Cambodian and Thai foreign ministers.

He viewed the proposed tea gathering as a constructive diplomatic initiative supporting the peaceful settlement of Cambodia-Thailand differences through dialogue rather than confrontation.

H.E. Prak Sokhonn also underscored the importance of the LMC framework to Cambodia and the wider region, expressing the Kingdom's willingness to continue contributing to its development. He acknowledged China's role in regional cooperation and its longstanding support for Cambodia's economic and social development.

On bilateral relations, H.E. Prak Sokhonn said exchanges between the leaders of both countries had provided important direction for the continued development of their community with a shared future. He also expressed Cambodia's support for the initiatives advanced by Chinese President Xi Jinping and congratulated the CPC on convening its Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee.

Reiterating Cambodia's position on China-related issues, he reaffirmed adherence to the One-China principle, supported China's peaceful national reunification and opposed all forms of Taiwan independence.

H.E. Prak Sokhonn concluded by reaffirming Cambodia's commitment to implementing the consensus reached by the two countries' leaders, strengthening the alignment of their development strategies and expanding law enforcement and security cooperation. He specifically highlighted the need to maintain efforts against online gambling and telecommunications fraud.

The meeting highlighted the breadth of the Cambodia-China partnership, with both sides placing emphasis on translating their political commitments into practical cooperation while supporting regional development and stability.

Source: The State Council of the People's Republic of China


Reported by The Khmer Daily Network