China’s leader Xi Jinping arrives in Cambodia to wrap up 3-nation Southeast Asia tour

PHNOM PENH – Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived successful Cambodia connected Thursday for a two-day authorities sojourn that serves arsenic an accidental to further fortify already robust relations.

The visit, Xi’s archetypal since 2016, volition reason a three-nation Southeast Asian circuit that included stops successful Vietnam and Malaysia.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet precocious described Beijing arsenic “an important and indispensable person of Cambodia that has helped enactment the country’s economical and societal development.”

Xi was greeted astatine the airdrome successful Cambodia's superior Phrom Penh by King Norodom Sihamoni. During his visit, Xi is besides scheduled to conscionable Prime Minister Hun Manet and Senate President Hun Sen, who is Hun Manet’s begetter and predecessor arsenic premier minister.

Trade volition apt beryllium a large taxable of Xi’s discussions successful Cambodia, which faces among the highest tariff rates projected by Washington. In summation to Trump's cosmopolitan 10% tariff, the state faces the menace of a 49% taxation connected exports to the U.S. erstwhile his 90-day intermission expires.

In summation to discussions connected strengthening bilateral ties and determination and planetary issues, respective agreements are expected to beryllium signed connected practice successful assorted sectors.

In some countries, Xi emphasized strengthening ties, peculiarly successful commercialized and investment, amid planetary economical uncertainties and the backdrop of commercialized tensions with the United States. He underscored the request to reason unilateralism and protectionism and uphold the multilateral trading system.

China is presenting itself arsenic a root of stableness and certainty arsenic Southeast Asia scrambles to respond to tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, which endanger the portion export-oriented economies whose largest markets are mostly the United States.

The sojourn comes connected the 50th day of the April 17, 1975 takeover of Cambodia by the communist Khmer Rouge, which imposed a reign of panic with Maoist-inspired policies that saw an estimated 1.7 cardinal Cambodians dice of starvation, overwork oregon executions.

Beijing was the main overseas backer of the Khmer Rouge and supported the radical successful carrying connected a guerrilla warfare aft it was ousted from powerfulness successful 1979 by an penetration from Vietnam, though specified past is seldom discussed by either country.

Cambodia's accelerated maturation successful caller decades has been fueled mostly by Beijing.

In Hun Manet’s remarks earlier this period astatine the inauguration of a Chinese-funded road, helium called China “a first-class spouse country,” pointing to achievements similar the inauguration of the Chinese-named Angkor Siem Reap Airport and a Phnom Penh ringing roadworthy named aft Xi arsenic grounds of continued beardown relations and gratitude, and noted China’s continued ranking arsenic the apical capitalist successful Cambodia successful 2024.

China is Cambodia’s largest trading partner, surpassing $15 cardinal successful 2024 and representing astir 30% of Cambodia’s full commercialized volume, though greatly successful Beijing’s favor.

Beijing besides helped money an enlargement of the Ream Naval Base connected Cambodia’s confederate coast, raising worries it could go a strategical outpost for the Chinese navy successful the Gulf of Thailand. Cambodia has repeatedly denied immoderate statement granting China peculiar privileges oregon the constitution of a overseas subject base.

Cambodia has stated that warships from each affable countries are invited to dock astatine its caller pier, provided they comply with definite conditions. Japan announced connected Tuesday that 2 of its minesweepers volition sojourn the Ream basal this play successful the archetypal overseas navy sojourn since the enlargement task was completed.

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Peck reported from Bangkok.

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