Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday arrived in Phnom Penh for a state visit to Cambodia, at the invitation of King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia.
This marks Xi's second visit to Cambodia in nine years.
During his stay, Xi is scheduled to meet King Norodom Sihamoni and Queen Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk respectively, meet with President of the Cambodian People's Party and President of the Senate Samdech Techo Hun Sen, and hold talks with Prime Minister Hun Manet.
The two sides will have discussions on the elevation and new characterization of the bilateral relations, and have an in-depth exchange of views on five areas, including political mutual trust, mutually beneficial cooperation, security, cultural and people-to-people exchanges and strategic coordination.
Cambodia is the third and last leg of Xi's five-day Southeast Asian tour, which began with a state visit to Vietnam on Monday and Tuesday, followed by a state visit to Malaysia from Tuesday to Thursday.
Xi arrives in Cambodia for state visit
Representatives from China and France expressed a strong commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation across diverse sectors during an economic and trade forum in Lyon, France, on Thursday.
The event took place at the Chinese Consulate General in Lyon, bringing together scholars and representatives from business, finance, tourism, and other key sectors of both countries.
Lyon, a major industrial and economic hub in central France, has long served as a key player in China-France cooperation. Many attendees highlighted the city's historical and contemporary role in strengthening bilateral ties.
"The cooperation between Lyon and China has a long history, dating back to the days of the ancient Silk Road. Today, the newly established Sino-French Institute in Lyon further deepens mutual understanding between our peoples," said Philippe Valentin, president of the Lyon Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
French business representatives see immense potential for deeper cooperation between the two nations.
"China is today, I would say, the top in terms of automotive, in terms of innovation and new patents. And we are also looking for a lot of different skills and innovation to develop our development and collaboration in China," said Herve Vericel, vice president of Business Development and Advanced Engineering of Saint Jean Industries.
Chinese participants also expressed confidence in the future of bilateral cooperation.
"From aviation and sustainable development to infrastructure, China and France not only share extensive common interests, but also have their distinct advantages," said Zhou Mi, senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation under the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.
Yu Jiang, consul general of China in Lyon, underscored the growing momentum of people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
"People-to-people exchanges between the two countries will become faster and more frequent, making our friendship stronger and more enduring," he said.
Lyon trade forum highlights deepening China-France cooperation
