Xi hopes Cambodia visit to spearhead progress in building China-Cambodia community with shared future

Chinese President Xi Jinping said he hopes his visit to Cambodia will spearhead progress in building a China-Cambodia community with a shared future.

Xi made the remarks in a signed article titled "Together We Strive, Together We Thrive: Toward a Stable and Sustainable China-Cambodia Community with a Shared Future in the New Era" published Thursday in Cambodian media outlets Khmer Times, Jian Hua Daily and Fresh News ahead of his arrival in Cambodia for a state visit.

Noting that a China-Cambodia community with a shared future is deeply rooted in the historic legacy of good-neighborly relations, Xi said that the two countries' friendly exchange spans two millennia of their shared history, thanks to the geographical proximity.

A China-Cambodia community with a shared future is also defined by the two countries' mutual commitment to friendship and righteousness, he said, recalling that the friendship was forged by Cambodia's King Father Norodom Sihanouk, and Chairman Mao Zedong, Premier Zhou Enlai among the elder generations of Chinese leaders.

Xi noted that a China-Cambodia community with a shared future is powered by equality and mutual benefit. For many years, China has been Cambodia's largest trading partner and largest source of investment, and the industrial and supply chain cooperation between the two countries has been deepening continuously, he said.

A China-Cambodia community with a shared future is founded upon inclusiveness and mutual learning, Xi said. Over the past 30 years, China has sent many experts to Cambodia across diverse fields, including archaeology, geological exploration, cultural heritage, history, architecture and the arts. They have helped bring renewed splendor to the Angkor legacy, a gem of human civilizations, he added.

Xi said China and Cambodia must work together to promote the steady and sustained progress in building the China-Cambodia community with a shared future in the new era.

He said that the two countries should bring the mutual political trust to a higher level, and expand the mutually beneficial cooperation of higher quality.

Xi urged the two countries to forge greater synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and the Pentagonal Strategy, and advance the development of the Industrial and Technological Corridor and the Fish and Rice Corridor.

He called on both sides to work together to ensure greater security, have more frequent people-to-people exchanges, and strengthen strategic coordination of higher standards.

Xi expressed his belief that, with their joint efforts, the China-Cambodia ironclad friendship, which has been tempered through trials of time and storms of adversity, will stay true to its original purpose. China will work with Cambodia to safeguard peace, pursue development and achieve shared prosperity, to make solid progress in building the China-Cambodia community with a shared future in the new era, and to bring greater stability and certainty to this turbulent world.

Cambodia is the last leg of Xi's current five-day, three-nation Southeast Asia tour, which also includes state visits to Vietnam and Malaysia.

Xi hopes Cambodia visit to spearhead progress in building China-Cambodia community with shared future

Xi hopes Cambodia visit to spearhead progress in building China-Cambodia community with shared future

Xi hopes Cambodia visit to spearhead progress in building China-Cambodia community with shared future

Xi's signed article published in Cambodian media

The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.

In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.

"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.

Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.

The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."

Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.

President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.

Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.

Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.

The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.

Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests