ACC Secretary-General Met with Director of Chinese Consulate to Siem Reap

On 19 May 2018, H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) visited the Chinese Consulate Office in Siem Reap, Cambodia and met with the Director of the Consulate Office Mr. Liu Zhijie. Xia Yonghong and Mo Yuan, Chinese consuls to Siem Reap, and Mr. Zhang Xuehai, Deputy Director of Information and Public Relation Division of ACC, attended the meeting. 

Mr. Liu welcomed the visit of Secretary-General Yang Xiuping and briefed on the exchanges between Siem Reap and cities/provinces in China and the work of the Consulate Office. He said that the Consulate Office in Siem Reap, inaugurated in November 2017, is the first consulate office China has established outside Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, with jurisdiction over six provinces including Siem Reap, Battambang, Kampong Thom, Oudor Meanchey, Banteay Meancheyand Preah Vihear. The responsibilities include strengthening friendly exchanges and practical cooperation between the six provinces and provinces/cities in China, providing consular services to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens and Chinese companies in the consular districts. Siem Reap has long history and splendid culture and is gradually gaining popularity among Chinese tourists. China has become the largest tourist resource country for Siem Reap. The Siem Reap new airport project invested by Chinese enterprise is undergoing smoothly. China has also provided assistance for the eco-tourism, agricultural development and cultural relics restoration in Siem Reap. Mr. Liu believed that with the joint efforts of both sides, the exchanges and cooperation between Siem Reap and China's provinces and cities will become closer, and will play a greater role in deepening China-Cambodia comprehensive strategic partnership. He pointed out that ACC is an important platform for promoting exchanges and cooperation between China and Cambodia and China-ASEAN. He looked forward to strengthening communication with ACC and jointly promoting local exchanges between China and Cambodia to achieve new progress.

Secretary-General Yang Xiuping spoke highly of the work of the Consulate Office in Siem Reap in promoting friendly exchanges and cooperation between Cambodia and China since its inception and the remarkable achievements that have been made. She noted that this year marks the 15th anniversary of the establishment of ASEAN-China strategic partnership and ASEAN-China Year of Innovation. The development of bilateral relations is now at a critical juncture of building on the past progress and forging ahead and upgrading to a new level. The practical cooperation in various fields is booming with new vitality. ACC will take this opportunity to continue pushing forward all-dimensional, multi-tiered and wide-ranging cooperation between ASEAN and China with focus on key areas and priorities. Local exchange is an important driving force for developing Cambodia-China and ASEAN-China relations. ACC is ready to continue to play the role as a bridge by maintaining close contact with the Chinese Embassy in Cambodia and the Consulate Office in Siem Reap, and make due contributions to the deepening of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides.