Cambodia sends students to China for youth exchange; China has established a project to improve the education environment and facilities in Cambodia, and assisted in the construction of the Phnom Penh National Stadium in Cambodia; Chinese tourists are flocking to Cambodia after the epidemic In recent years, with the promotion of the the Belt and Road Initiative, people to people and cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and Cambodia have blossomed everywhere, pushing bilateral relations deeper and more solid.

State Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of Cambodia, Ong Rongni, stated that cultural exchanges are very important for deepening further cooperation between Cambodia and China in the future and guiding Cambodia's future development direction.

Benefit a lot from the the Belt and Road

Weng Rongni: 2023 coincides with the 10th anniversary of the the Belt and Road Initiative. In fact, many countries have benefited a lot from the the Belt and Road Initiative. In terms of cooperation between Cambodia and China, Cambodia has always had long-term cooperation, such as high-level cooperation between governments, which effectively promotes peace and prosperity between the two countries.

The the Belt and Road Initiative has promoted Cambodia's development and cooperation with other countries in various fields. Including the ASEAN Connectivity Master Plan 2025 jointly adopted by ASEAN countries, many countries have participated in cooperation under the overall framework of the the Belt and Road Initiative. I believe that ASEAN member countries can also work together and unite with each other, giving all parties confidence in having a better outlook for future cooperation and development.

Educational exchange and cooperation

Weng Rongni: In terms of educational exchange, since 1998, China has been providing scholarships to Cambodian international students, and the "China ASEAN Elite Scholarship" project is one of them. As of 2019, the Chinese government scholarship program has received over 3000 Cambodian international students in total. Cambodia also sends students to China to participate in youth exchange activities, including cultural and team building. From 2001 to 2019, Cambodia has sent students and government officials to China multiple times to participate in these related youth exchange activities, which greatly help Cambodian students cultivate a good sense of teamwork.

In addition, the talent skills training project collaborated with China has helped Cambodia undertake technology transfer and promote its industrialization process. Cambodia sends international students to China to learn about product design and manufacturing, enhance professional knowledge, and some students also participate in robot competitions and related technical competitions. After mastering this knowledge and modern technology, these students will be able to bring the knowledge and technology they have learned back to Cambodia in the future, and present and impart them to family, friends, and classmates.

The Chinese government has also provided a lot of assistance and support to Cambodia in the construction of education and sports infrastructure. At present, a total of 26 related education infrastructure projects are being implemented in the Chinese side's aid to Cambodia education environment and facilities improvement project, including 23 buildings, 17 teaching buildings, 1 student dormitory, 5 teacher dormitories, 8 football fields, 8 basketball courts, and other facilities. Among these projects, 58% have already been completed.

Deepening and Realizing Cultural Exchange Together

Weng Rongni: Regarding cultural exchange, what I want to say is that despite language differences, the hearts and emotions between Cambodia and China are interconnected. As a Cambodian, I would also like to share with you the current economic development status and cultural heritage resources of Cambodia.

At present, investors and entrepreneurs from various countries are investing and operating in Cambodia, and there are also many Chinese tourists visiting Cambodia. This time I went to Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China to participate in an event. When I got off the plane, I saw many Chinese tourists preparing to travel abroad, among which some of them went to Cambodia, which left a very deep impression on me. What I want to say is that the Cambodian people greatly welcome Chinese tourists to travel to Cambodia. I also want to recommend Cambodia's important world cultural heritage - Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat has been standing in Cambodia for 12 centuries, and I want to promote this tourist attraction to more people. I also welcome more people to come to Angkor Wat for tourism.

Looking ahead, Cambodia particularly hopes to continue strengthening cooperation with China in the field of education, as education is an important aspect of Cambodia China cooperation. Cambodia can be said to be an "emerging country". Despite its long history, after experiencing civil war and restoring peace, Cambodia urgently needs to develop and build a human resource team. At present, the Cambodian government has set the goal of becoming a middle-income country by 2030 and a wealthy and developed country by 2050.

To achieve this goal, Cambodia must make efforts in human resources, such as talent cultivation and quality expansion through scholarship programs and youth exchange programs. The candidates for these projects and plans not only include college students, but also cover middle and high school students. Because students at this stage also need to understand the cultural exchange and cooperation between Cambodia and China, as well as the long history of China.

At the same time, many Cambodian students also enjoy watching Chinese TV dramas and movies, hoping to learn about the true Chinese culture and history. So some cooperation between Cambodia and China, including scholarships, youth exchanges, cultural exchanges, summer camps and other projects, especially youth exchange projects, is very important for deepening further cooperation between Cambodia and China in the future and guiding Cambodia's future development direction.Editor/Ma Xue