China’s President Xi Jinping has vowed to establish a security partnership with Cambodia, underscoring Beijing’s deepening ties with one of its closest allies in Southeast Asia. Meeting Hun Sen, president of Cambodia’s Senate and leader of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, in Beijing on Friday, Xi said the two nations should work together to bring greater stability to a region facing “complex and profound changes”. According to state media, Xi reaffirmed that Cambodia remains a priority in China’s neighbourhood diplomacy. He praised Phnom Penh’s recent crackdown on telecoms and online fraud, describing such crimes as a “tumour” that both countries must eradicate. Hun Sen’s three‑day goodwill visit coincides with the CPP’s 75th anniversary. The two leaders pledged to strengthen party‑to‑party relations and accelerate cooperation under existing frameworks, including the Diamond Cooperation Framework, the Industrial and Technological Corridor, and the Fish and Rice Corridor. Both sides also committed to advancing projects linked to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, while aligning Cambodia’s domestic Pentagonal Strategy with Beijing’s global development and security agendas. Xi stressed that the partnership should go beyond economics, calling for closer coordination on defence and law enforcement. He said China firmly supports Cambodia’s sovereignty and its chosen path of development, while Hun Sen reiterated Cambodia’s backing of the one‑China principle and opposition to “Taiwan independence”. The meeting follows the launch of a “2+2” strategic dialogue in April, bringing together foreign and defence ministers from both countries. Analysts say the new security partnership signals Beijing’s intent to anchor Cambodia more firmly within its orbit, at a time of heightened geopolitical competition in Southeast Asia. For Cambodia, the pledge offers reassurance of continued Chinese investment and political support. For China, it strengthens a loyal ally that has often sided with Beijing in regional disputes, including those in the South China Sea. -2026-06-28
