PHNOM PENH, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- A banquet was held gathering the current and former Chinese ambassadors to Cambodia and Cambodian high-profile officials here on Friday, as part of the activities celebrating the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
The banquet, held in the Chinese embassy in Cambodia, brought together incumbent Chinese ambassador Xiong Bo, five former Chinese ambassadors to Cambodia, and about 100 Cambodian senior officials and prominent business people.
Xiong said the longstanding friendship between the two countries had laid a solid foundation for the long-term and steady development of the bilateral relations.
Frequent high-level exchanges between the two countries have deepened bilateral cooperation, he said.
Former Chinese ambassador to Cambodia Fu Xuezhang said the China-Cambodia relations could be a "role model of cooperation" between countries, expressing his confidence that the bilateral ties would be further enhanced in the future thanks to the strong efforts and commitment made by leaders of the two countries.
Ek Sam Ol, president of the Cambodia-China Friendship Association, said the association highly appreciated the fruitful cooperation between the two countries over the past 60 years and that China was a "true friend" of Cambodia.
"The development of all fields in Cambodia could not be detached from Chinese aid," he said at the banquet.
Earlier in the day, the former Chinese ambassadors paid a courtesy call on Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni and Queen Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk at the Royal Palace.
