A high-level think tank forum was opened here on Monday, with a focus on deepening Cambodia-China "Diamond Cooperation Framework" towards building a Cambodia-China community with a shared future in the new era.

Co-hosted by the Royal Academy of Cambodia (RAC) and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the two-day forum was convened in Phnom Penh on Monday and in the cultural province of Siem Reap on Tuesday.

Zhen Zhanmin, vice president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that China and Cambodia are iron-clad friends who share weal and woe and help each other, and their bilateral relations have maintained a high level of development for a long time.

The construction of a community with a shared future between China and Cambodia has continued to advance in depth, accumulating valuable experience and playing a demonstration role in building a community with a shared future for the surrounding areas and even for mankind, Zhen said.

"China and Cambodia use political mutual trust to safeguard the construction of a community with a shared future, economic and trade cooperation to strengthen the foundation of the construction of a community with a shared future, and cultural exchanges to win people's hearts and minds for the construction of a community with a shared future," he told the forum with some 100 participants.

Zhen added that think tank exchanges are an important part of cultural exchanges, and play a unique role in enhancing policy communication, promoting practical cooperation, and promoting people-to-people exchanges.

Khy Sovanratana, a secretary of state at Cambodia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said the forum marked an important platform to strengthen the unwavering commitment of Cambodia and China in promoting various areas of cooperation and reviewing significant developments.

He highlighted that the relationship between Cambodia and China has been nurtured by successive generations of leaders to the present day.

"This historic bond has grown from strength to strength, evolving into an ironclad friendship built on the foundation of win-win cooperation, peaceful coexistence, mutual respect for independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and non-interference in internal affairs," he said.

Sovanratana said since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Cambodia and China on July 19, 1958, the two countries have developed a strong and multifaceted relationship, particularly in key areas of political, economic, military, and cultural cooperation.

"Today, as we gather here, we seek to explore new opportunities and deepen our bilateral relationship for the benefit of both nations, as well as for global peace, prosperity, and sustainable development," he said.

"The Diamond Cooperation Framework is a testament to our partnership, serving as a concrete roadmap based on mutual trust, shared objectives, and commitments," he added.

Sok Touch, president of the RAC, said Cambodia and China agreed in 2023 to develop a "Diamond Cooperation Framework" with six priority areas, including political cooperation, production capacity and quality, agriculture, energy, security and people-to-people exchanges.

"Overall, I could say that the Cambodia-China relations in the new era have reached the highest-ever level in the history," he said.

Touch believed that the forum would provide valuable input for the two countries to deepen bilateral ties and cooperation towards building a high-quality, high-level and high-standard community with a shared future in the new era.

Kin Phea, director general of the International Relations Institute of Cambodia of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said under the "Diamond Cooperation Framework," the two countries have been working together to develop an "Industrial Development Corridor" and "Fish and Rice Corridor."

He said the "Industrial Development Corridor" has been designed to support the transformation of coastal Sihanoukville into a model multipurpose special economic zone, as the "Fish and Rice Corridor" aims to enhance agricultural productivity and ecological sustainability around the Tonle Sap Lake in northwest Cambodia.

"China has always been ready to work with the international community to restore confidence in multilateralism and globalization, build an open and pluralistic world economy, and blaze a new trail in inclusive growth and sustainable development," he said.

According to Phea, the forum has been the fourth of its kind since 2019.