Cambodian King's trip to Beijing injects new impetus into community of shared future: scholars

Fireworks illuminate the night sky during the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at the National Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 4, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Ga)

"The visit will not only inject more vitality into the construction of the China-Cambodia community with a shared future, but also further deepen the ironclad friendship between the two countries," said Pov Sok, an advisor to the Cambodian prime minister.

PHNOM PENH, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni's trip to China has injected new impetus into building a community with a shared future between the two countries, Cambodian scholars said on Saturday.

On Friday night, the monarch took part in the opening ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games at the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, in Beijing.

Pov Sok, an advisor to Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, said the king's trip to China was another historical milestone in the Cambodia-China ties and it would elevate the bilateral relations to new highs.

"The visit will not only inject more vitality into the construction of the China-Cambodia community with a shared future, but also further deepen the ironclad friendship between the two countries," he told Xinhua.

Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni experiences kite flying during the demonstration of China's intangible cultural heritage before attending a welcoming banquet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 5, 2022. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

China and Cambodia signed in April 2019 an action plan (2019-2023) for building the China-Cambodia community with a shared future.

Speaking of the opening ceremony of the Winter Games on Friday night, Sok said the splendid spectacle would be a good and unforgettable memory for all participants and athletes from across the world.

"Despite in the difficult times of COVID-19, China has organized a green, inclusive, open and clean Games as planned, and I think the smooth opening ceremony has already proved a great success for China," he said.

Ky Sereyvath, director of the China Study Center of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, believed that through the monarch's trip, bilateral cooperation in the fields of politics, economy, trade, investment, tourism, culture and education would be further strengthened.

"Undoubtedly, the visit will bring more benefits to the peoples of the two countries, and it proves that Cambodia and China have always stood firmly together in all circumstances," he told Xinhua.

Photo taken on Feb. 4, 2022 shows the river of images during the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at the National Stadium in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Yang Lei)

Joseph Matthews, senior professor at the BELTEI International University in Phnom Penh, said the trip was another testament to the ironclad friendship and all-weather relationship between the two countries.

"It will not only strengthen the already existing fraternally bilateral relations, but also help bring closer bond of friendship to the peoples of both countries," he told Xinhua.

Matthews said Beijing became the first city ever to have hosted both summer and winter editions of the Olympic Games, saying that the Games' motto "Together for a Shared Future" was catchy and meaningful.

"The motto reflects multilateralism, a common future, and a global vision of inclusive and equal development for all nations, irrespective of their geopolitical location and political system," he said.

The motto illustrated China's unwavering commitment to sharing its economic prosperity, technology, and development opportunity to all countries around the globe, he added.

Skaters perform as the Olympic motto is displayed during the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at the National Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 4, 2022. (Xinhua/Yang Lei)

Thong Mengdavid, a research fellow at the Phnom Penh-based Asian Vision Institute, said the king's Beijing visit signified the strong traditional friendship and solidarity between the two countries.

"The Beijing Winter Olympic Games is the symbol of world unity, peace and harmony among all nations regardless of political system, religious and race," he said.

"King Sihamoni's presence in Beijing will further strengthen bilateral ties and promote agricultural activities and infrastructure development under the Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement, the Belt and Road Initiative, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership," he added.

The Cambodian king returned home on Saturday evening.