(Phnom Penh): Recently, the unbridled imposition of tariffs by the Trump administration of the United States has gravely undermined the legitimate interests and development rights of countries around the world, especially those in the Global South. It has also posed a severe challenge to the international economic and trade order as well as fairness and justice. Using tariff as an instrument and weapon, the United States is blatantly placing its own interests above those of all others, breaking the long-established foundation for trust and cooperation among countries, and bringing state-to-state relations back to the world reigned by the law of the jungle. This is, in essence, an act of bullying and coercion, and unmistakably an attempt to turn back the wheel of history. An increasing number of countries have expressed resistance and opposition against such acts.
China has stood up with resolute countermeasures against America’s unilateralism and bullying to safeguard not only its own legitimate rights and interests, but also the shared interests of the international community, including the vast number of small and medium-sized countries, and defend international fairness and justice. Facing the countercurrents of trade protectionism, China has remained committed to openness and inclusiveness in international cooperation, high-level opening up, mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation with all other countries, and sharing of development opportunities with the rest of the world. At a time of global turmoil, it shows the world with concrete actions that China is a reliable partner to work together for prosperity.
Justice will prevail, because bullying loses hearts. As a responsible member of the international community and the Global South, China calls on the United States to immediately stop its unilateral measures and bullying aimed at subjugating and controlling other countries. In the mean time, China is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with neighboring countries and other members of the international community to jointly resist unilateralism and bullying, safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of all countries, and uphold multilateral trade rules. As an old Chinese saying goes, "One arrow is easy to break, but ten would be too difficult". There is a similar Cambodian proverb that says, "A handful of chopsticks cannot be broken." When the majority of countries that support fairness and justice unite together to resolutely oppose unilateral bullying, and jointly defend the right to development, an individual country will not be able to play the game of tariff manipulation, and its attempts to apply maximum pressure will not work.
China and Cambodia are ironclad friends who treat each other with sincerity, and development partners who work hand in hand. During President Xi Jinping’s successful state visit to the Kingdom of Cambodia recently, China-Cambodia ties have been elevated to a new height of an all-weather community with a shared future in the new era. The two countries issued a joint statement, reaffirming the opposition to hegemonism and all forms of unilateralism as well as trade protectionism because of the impact restrictive measures in trade and investment have on economic security and the international trade order. Decisions were made to implement the “Outline of the Plan of Cooperation on Joint Development of the Belt and Road”, accelerate the building of the “Industrial Development Corridor"and "Fish and Rice Corridor", and further strengthen cooperation in infrastructure, industrial and supply chains, economy, trade, finance, clean energy, scientific and technological innovation, artificial intelligence, environmental protection, and people's livelihoods. China will encourage more Chinese companies to invest in Cambodia, open up its supersized market to Cambodia, and import more quality Cambodian agricultural products so that Cambodian friends will have more opportunities from China's development. As China-Cambodia cooperation continues to deepen, Cambodia will gain more confidence and conviction in realizing its own development vision amid external economic coercion.
China and Cambodia are both developing countries in Asia sharing compatible development strategies and similar diplomatic visions. The win-win cooperation philosophy advocated by China is highly consistent with the win-win policy implemented by Cambodia, which is all the more relevant to the current realities in the world. It is important, therefore, that China and Cambodia stand firmly together on the right side of history and human progress, responding to the jungle law of the strong preying on the weak with the Asian values of peace, cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, so as to safeguard the bright development prospects of the two countries and beyond, and provide oriental wisdom and strength for global stability, growth and prosperity.
Wang Wenbin, Chinese Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia.
=FRESH NEWS
