Japan to Further Tighten Cooperation with Cambodia

Japan will continue to strengthen and expand cooperation with Cambodia, particularly in the areas of trade and investment, tourism, digital, defence and security, in line with the spirit of the agreements already reached by the two Heads of Government. The commitment was reaffirmed by visiting H.E. Komura Masahiro, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, during a courtesy call on Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh this afternoon. H.E. Komura Masahiro also told Samdech Thipadei of his visit, the purpose of which is to sign an exchange of notes and related documents on a loan agreement for some US$150 million to implement a regional hospital development project in Cambodia, and to attend an ICC-Angkor/ Sambor Prei Kuk session, stressing that this is a model international cooperation in the field of conservation and protection of cultural heritage. In reply, Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet expressed warm welcome to the visit of H.E. Komura Masahiro, and lauded the excellent cooperation between Cambodia and Japan, which was upgraded to a "comprehensive strategic partnership" in 2023. Within the framework of defence and security, the Prime Minister praised the cooperation between the two countries in elevating their meeting to the high-level dialogue and some joint activities, such as military drill, as well as the visit of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force to Cambodia. Samdech Thipadei thanked Japan for her support through the ICC-Angkor mechanism, which contributes to the preservation of Cambodia's heritage, and noted the progress of this mechanism which has been expanded to the conservation of the Sambor Prei Kuk Temple and renewed for another 10 years. Samdech Thipadei and H.E. Komura Masahiro also reaffirmed the continuation of regional and international cooperation to contribute to the maintenance of regional and international peace and prosperity. Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse