King Norodom Sihanouk and Queen Norodom Monineath Sihanouk met with Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji and his wife Lao An at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing earlier this week, the Chinese state news agency reported.
Zhu welcomed King Sihanouk, who is in China for medical check-up and a holiday, on behalf of the Chinese government.
“Your majesty is highly respected and admired by the Cambodian people. You also enjoy great fame in your country and in the international arena,” Zhu said, according to Xinhua.
Under Sihanouk’s leadership, he said, Cambodia now enjoys political stability and has shown substantial progress in economic construction and foreign affairs.
Zhu also spoke highly of the monarch’s work to forge a long-term Sino-Cambodian friendship.
“Your majesty has deep friendship with three generations of Chinese leaders and has made extraordinary contributions to the consolidation and growth of the traditional good-neighbor relationship between our countries. The Chinese people will not forget your contribution,” Xinhua quoted Zhu as saying.
On behalf of the entire Cambodian people, Sihanouk extended gratitude for the consistent, sincere and generous support from the Chinese government and the Chinese people to Cambodia’s development course.
China’s support has played a key role in Cambodia’s national independence and territorial integrity, the King noted, according to the agency.
“We are proud to have a friend such as China,” King Sihanouk was quoted as saying.
