An official in personal protective equipment (PPE) manages the crowd as people queue to receive China's Sinopharm coronavirus vaccine in Phnom Penh on May 31, 2021, as part of the government's campaign to halt the rising number of cases of the virus. (TANG CHHIN SOTHY / AFP)

China will continue to work with Cambodia to boost friendly exchanges and practical cooperation to a new level, said a senior official of the Communist Party of China on Wednesday. The official also called for joint efforts by think tanks in both countries to deepen communication and cooperation.

Huang Kunming, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks via video conference in Beijing at the opening ceremony of the second Cambodia-China Think Tank High-Level Forum co-hosted by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Royal Academy of Cambodia.

In the fight against COVID-19, China and Cambodia have stood through thick and thin together, and the joint pandemic fight clearly demonstrates the profound friendship between the two peoples, said Huang Kunming, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee

Huang commended efforts made by both academies in strengthening bilateral cooperation and promoting people-to-people exchanges.

He said the long historical friendship has also been highlighted by the mutual support of the two countries in the face of the pandemic.

In the fight against COVID-19, China and Cambodia have stood through thick and thin together, and the joint pandemic fight clearly demonstrates the profound friendship between the two peoples, Huang said.

Bin Chhin, Cambodia's standing deputy prime minister and Cabinet minister, said the relations of the two countries have reached the best stage and highest level ever in terms of trade, tourism, and educational and cultural exchanges. The influx of Chinese businesses and people has also contributed greatly to Cambodia's development.

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Leg up

China has helped Cambodia in fighting the pandemic by providing millions of vaccines, which has given Cambodia a leg up in its vaccination campaign, Bin Chhin said.

According to official figures, China had donated more than 2 million vaccines to Cambodia as of June.

Sok Touch, president of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, also spoke highly of the cooperation between the two countries' think tanks, saying it charted a bright picture for the development of Sino-Cambodian ties.

The forum, first held in Cambodia in 2019, will contribute to the wisdom in promoting the countries' high-quality development, bridging communication and boosting mutual understanding of the peoples.

Xie Fuzhan, president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said China and Cambodia have great trade potential.

China has been Cambodia's largest trading partner and trade volume between the two countries in 2020 reached US$9.56 billion despite the pandemic, increasing 1.4 percent year-on-year, according to China's Ministry of Commerce.

In the first five months of this year, the two countries saw a 25 percent year-on-year growth in bilateral trade, with a total volume of US$3.9 billion.

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In October 2020, China and Cambodia signed a free-trade agreement, a move seen as bringing relations of the two countries to a new level.

The agreement, the first of its kind in Cambodia, is a "new milestone", said Xie, adding it shows a clear stance in safeguarding trade and investment liberalization.