What’s new: Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrived in Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh Tuesday evening to attend meetings of East Asian leaders on regional cooperation, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.
During the six-day trip, Li will also pay an official state visit to host nation Cambodia at the invitation of Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Xinhua reported.
This is the premier’s first visit abroad since the start of Covid-19 pandemic and his first face-to-face meeting with other East Asian leaders in two years, Li wrote in an article published on the foreign ministry website.
What’s more: China expects the meetings to focus on development and cooperation between East Asian nations while upholding multilateralism and free trade. Li also called upon the countries to work together to maintain the security of global industrial and supply chains, Xinhua reported.
China will renew its friendship and bilateral cooperation with Cambodia through Li’s visit. He will hold talks with Hun Sen and meet the country’s King Norodom Sihamoni, according to Xinhua.
Cambodia is this year’s chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The bloc is China’s largest trading partner and vice versa.
During his visit, Li will attend the 17th East Asia Summit, 25th China-ASEAN Summit and 25th ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Summit, which includes China, Japan and South Korea.
Contact reporter Kelly Wang (jingzhewang@caixin.com) and editor Jonathan Breen (jonathanbreen@caixin.com)
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