On September 15, 2022, Vice President Wang Qishan attended the reception marking the 100th anniversary of King Father Norodom Sihanouk’s birthday in Beijing.

Wang Qishan hailed King Father Norodom Sihanouk as the "Father of Independence" profoundly loved by the Cambodian people, and a great friend highly revered by the Chinese people. Wang recalled that King Father Sihanouk met Premier Zhou Enlai at the Bandung Conference, opening a new chapter of the friendly exchanges between China and Cambodia; he broke through the obstruction of the West to establish diplomatic ties with China, demonstrating fearless courage to fight hegemonism and uphold independence; he maintained friendly ties with successive generations of Chinese leaders, treating each other with sincerity, making indelible contributions to China-Cambodia friendship; he saw China as his second home, having traveled across China, and composed songs praising China-Cambodia friendship widely sung even today.

Wang Qishan further noted that the leaders of the two countries have maintained close interactions in the new era. President Xi Jinping exchanged visits with King Norodom Sihamoni in 2016, awarded the Friendship Medal of China to Queen Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk in 2020, and met with or had phone conversations with Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen 12 times, jointly charting the course for carrying forward the traditional China-Cambodia friendship. Noting the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Cambodia next year, Wang expressed the conviction that with the concerted efforts of both sides, China-Cambodia relations will continue to show vigor and vitality.

Before the reception, Wang Qishan met with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni and Queen Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk. Wang said that over the years, the King and Queen Mother have dedicated themselves to carrying forward the traditional China-Cambodia friendship, acting upon the will and wish of the King Father. Under the new circumstances, the Chinese side stands ready to work with the Cambodian side to build an even more impregnable China-Cambodia community with a shared future by following the strategic guidance of the two countries’ leaders and the footsteps of the leaders of the elder generations.

King Norodom Sihamoni and Queen Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk thanked the Chinese side for the thoughtful organization of the reception and a series of other activities marking the centenary of King Father Norodom Sihanouk's birthday, noting that the special relationship between Cambodia and China was forged and nurtured by the elder generations of leaders, and that the Cambodian people will never forget the long-standing and tremendous assistance and support provided by the Chinese people for the economic and social development of Cambodia. The Cambodian side highly appreciates the rapid development and international prestige China has achieved under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, and stands ready to work with the Chinese side to further deepen practical cooperation in various fields, and promote bilateral relations to a new level. They wished the China-Cambodia friendship last forever.