Joining Hands to Build Bridges of Friendship
Speech at the Launch Ceremony of China (Yunnan)-Cambodia Cultural Series on “Visiting Yunnan and Angkor” for Heritage Sites
Wu Xu, Executive Secretary of the All-China Journalists Association
(June 7, 2024)
China and Cambodia have been steadfast partners that stand alongside each other in trying times. Under the joint guidance of President Xi Jinping and the Cambodian leadership, the two countries have stood at the forefront of the times in building a high-quality, high-level and high-standard China-Cambodia community with a shared future in the new era, setting a model for establishing a new type of international relations.
Yunnan and Cambodia share close geographical proximity,Joining Hands to Build Bridges of Friendship cultural affinity, and time-honored friendly exchanges. Hailed as the “Tourist Paradise”, Yunnan boasts abundant tourism resources and profound cultural deposits, including six UNESCO World Heritage sites as treasures of Chinese civilization. Likewise, Cambodia enjoys a rich and vibrant historical culture, with its UNESCO World Heritage sites represented by iconic Angkor Wat in Siem Reap drawing visitors from every corner of the world.
This year marks the “Cambodia-China People-to-People Exchange Year”. Through organizing this series of events, we aim to further enhance cultural and tourism exchanges between China and Cambodia, foster mutual learning in the preservation of world heritage and jointly safeguard cultural treasures belonging to mankind.
The media bear the glorious mission of conveying information and exchanging minds. The enhancement of exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and Cambodian media organizations is conducive to building a bridge for communication between our peoples. In recent years, the All-China Journalists Association (ACJA) has forged close ties with competent information departments and organizations in Cambodia, such as the Ministry of Information of the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Club of Cambodian Journalists, and maintained cooperation in the exchanges of journalists. Since the beginning of this year, the ACJA has vigorously supported Yunnan in establishing the South and Southeast Asian Media Network (SSEAMN) and the SSEAMN Journalists’ Club, in a bid to foster the establishment of new platforms through cooperation between Chinese and Cambodian media. Moreover, Yunnan also proactively leverage its unique geographical advantages; relying on platforms including Cambodia’s Khmer Magazine, Yunnan continuously reinforces cooperation with the Cambodian media in platform co-construction, content co-creation, and personnel training, winning the recognition of the vast audience.
Chinese and Cambodian media organizations enjoy a sound foundation for cooperation and a broad space for cooperation. They play a vital role in boosting the building of a China-Cambodia community with a shared future in the new era, and bolstering political mutual trust, mutual economic benefits, and cultural mutual learning between the two countries. As media professionals, we should stay true to our mission, report the achievements made by China and Cambodia in building the “Diamond Hexagon” bilateral cooperation framework in a truthful, objective, and all-round way, showcase the fruitful results in bilateral cooperation, share the stories of cooperation, and convey a positive message for cooperation, so that the world can better understand China-Cambodia friendship. The ACJA will faithfully fulfill its duties, underpin the better functioning of the South and Southeast Asian Media Network (SSEAMN) and the SSEAMN Journalists’ Club, and encourage the Chinese and Cambodian media to deepen cooperation, with a view to injecting new impetus into the building of a China-Cambodia community with a shared future in the new era.