King’s visit to China’s Xinjiang region deemed diplomatic success

King Norodom Sihamoni returned to Cambodia on Friday after completing a successful three-day visit in China.

According to Cambodian news broadcaster TVK, while paying a visit to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, the King on Thursday received Xinjiang regional party chief Ma Xingrui and Erkin Tuniyaz, chairman of the regional government.

Both of the Chinese officials expressed interest in strengthening exchanges between their locality and Cambodia at all levels and to deepen cooperation in industry, trade, investment and other areas, the Xinjiang Daily newspaper reported on Friday.

During their meeting, Ma welcomed King Sihamoni and explained some introductory details regarding the economic and social development of Xinjiang. He said that the exchanges and cooperation between the Xinjiang region and Cambodia have developed steadily in recent years, as indicated by the strong growth in trade between the two sides.

In recognition of the fact that the two governments have designated 2024 as “Cambodia-China People-to-People Exchange Year”, Ma underscored that Cambodia and China will use this opportunity to boost mutual understanding, cultural exchanges and tourism, as well as elevate their bilateral relations by enhancing efforts at beneficial cooperation.

In response, King Sihamoni said that the friendship between Cambodia and China is a profoundly deep one with the peoples of the two countries sharing a brotherly bond established by past generations of leaders and continuing to this day.

King Sihamoni noted that this was his first visit to the Xinjiang region and he observed that the region has achieved some remarkable successes recently. The King expressed his hope that his visit will serve as a new starting point to promote deeper exchanges and cooperation between Cambodia and the Xinjiang region, strengthen the close ties between the peoples of both sides and advance the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between Cambodia and China.

During his time in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, King Sihamoni took the opportunity to visit with members of the ethnically diverse local community.

He also visited a training centre where local students studied calligraphy, languages, traditional dance and sculpture, as well as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region Museum.

Kin Phea, Director-General of the International Relations Institute of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said that King Sihamoni’s visit to China contributed to the progress of advancing Cambodia-China diplomatic relations, which are crucial for the Kingdom’s development.

This is in addition to the mutual support shown towards one another between the two nations in terms of regional and international affairs as well as via bilateral ties in trade and investment, he added.

He added that the King’s recent visit appears to be partly aimed at demonstrating to King Sihamoni that the alleged abuse of people of Uyghur ethnicity at the hands of the Chinese Han majority is an invention of the west created to slander the Chinese government.

“Our King could be an important witness who is able to credibly denounce these accusations made by the west. The people there are living in harmony in a multi-ethnic society,” Phea said, adding that Cambodia always stands with China whenever it is “unjustly criticised” over its governance of the Xinjiang region.