China’s foreign minister visits Cambodia days after incumbent premier hands off the job to his son

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — China’s foreign minister visited Cambodia over the weekend to reaffirm his country’s commitment to the southeast Asian country after its incumbent prime minister handed off the job to his son following a one-sided election last month, officials said. 

Wang Yi is the first foreign leader to visit Cambodia, days after Hun Sen’s announcement that his 45-year-old son and the country’s army chief, Hun Manet, is replacing him. A video of the meeting was posted on Hun Sen’s Telegram channel on Sunday. Eang Sophalleth, Hun Sen’s spokesman, told reporters after the meeting that Wang Yi expressed China’s willingness to cooperate with the newly-appointed prime minister.

Cambodia’s foreign ministry later released a statement citing Wang Yi as expressing China’s support for “the Kingdom’s emerging government leadership.” Hun Sen, the longest-serving government head in Asia, and his party sealed a landslide victory in the country’s general election after barring the main opposition group —the Candlelight Party— from contesting the polls on a technicality. Western nations and rights groups criticized the election saying it was neither “free” nor “fair.”

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