Cambodia and Singapore mark 60 years of friendship

King Norodom Sihamoni (L) exchange felicitations with Singapore’s President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between their countries. CPP & PMOS

Synopsis: Two countries celebrate six decades of cooperation and diplomatic ties, with leaders reaffirming their commitment to deepen collaboration across traditional and emerging sectors for the benefit of their peoples and ASEAN.

As Cambodia and Singapore celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two nations, their heads of state and prime ministers have exchanged heartfelt congratulatory notes, hailing the good alliance and looking forward to entering a new chapter of partnership and alliance.

In a royal letter dated September 13 addressed to Singapore’s President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, King Norodom Monineath Sihamoni, said the historic ties between the two Southeast Asian nations commenced upon the visions of their great past leaders.

“The formal recognition of Singapore’s de jure independence on 10 August 1965 by His Majesty the Late King-Father NORODOM SIHANOUK ‘Preah Borom Ratanak Kaudh’ signified not only the establishment of official diplomatic ties but also a solemn and strong commitment to friendship, mutual respect, and solidarity between our two nations,” the monarch wrote.

“Over the course of six decades, the bonds between Cambodia and Singapore have steadily flourished – nurtured through steadfast cooperation, regular exchanges at all levels, and fruitful collaboration across a wide range of sectors. This enduring partnership stands as a testament to the shared values and aspirations that unite our peoples.”

King Sihamoni reaffirmed Cambodia’s commitment to strengthening its relationship with Singapore for generations to come.

“As we commemorate this significant milestone, I reaffirm the Kingdom of Cambodia’s resolute commitment to further strengthening the friendly relations with the Republic of Singapore,” he wrote.

“In a spirit of unity and common purpose, I look forward to deepening collaboration across both traditional and emerging domains, for the greater benefit of our peoples and the advancement of peace, stability, and prosperity within ASEAN and beyond.”

In his response yesterday, President Shanmugaratnam said he extended his best wishes for King Sihamoni and hailed the good ties between Cambodia and Singapore and their peoples.

“Singapore and Cambodia share a longstanding friendship, rooted in the close ties between King-Father Norodom Sihanouk and Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew,” he wrote.

“Cambodia’s early recognition of Singapore’s independence laid the foundation for a relationship built on trust and mutual respect.”

Inspired by the progress of friendship and cooperation between the two nations in the past decades, Shanmugaratnam expressed confidence that the future generations will continue the friendship for decades to come.

“Over the decades, our partnership has strengthened through active engagement and cooperation across a broad spectrum of areas,” he said. “I am confident that these enduring ties will continue to flourish for the benefit of our peoples.”

In a congratulatory letter, also issued yesterday, to his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong, Prime Minister Hun Manet emphasised the success of the bilateral relations between their countries in key areas such as trade, investment, defence, education, tourism, and digital innovation.

“In 2024, Singapore ranked third in trade and first in investment among ASEAN member states in Cambodia, contributing significantly to our socio-economic development,” Mr Hun Manet wrote.

This landmark anniversary provides an important moment to reaffirm the two ASEAN member states’ steadfast commitment to strengthening cooperation and broadening collaboration across both established and emerging areas, the Cambodian Premier added.

“In doing so, we will continue to enhance the well-being of our peoples and contribute meaningfully to peace, stability, sustainable development, and prosperity within the ASEAN Community and beyond,” he said.

Wong, in his response yesterday, reiterated that Singapore and Cambodia share a deep and enduring partnership built on mutual respect, trust and close collaboration.

“Our ties have grown steadily – expanding from the traditional areas of trade and capacity-building exchanges into new frontiers such as digital transformation and food security,” he wrote.

“I am confident that our partnership will continue to flourish in the years ahead and bring tangible benefits to both our peoples,” Wong said, adding that he is excited to further cooperate with the Cambodian government in strengthening their alliance both bilaterally and regionally.KhmerTime