Cambodia, China Hail Progress in Security Cooperation, Bolstering Efforts Against Transnational Crime

AKP Phnom Penh, September 24, 2026 -- Cambodia and China have spoken highly of the progress made in bilateral cooperation in the security sector, particularly in combating transnational crime and online scams. The remarks were made during a meeting between Samdech Maha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, and H.E. Yang Weilin, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Public Security of the People’s Republic of China, at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh on the afternoon of Sept. 23. H.E. Yang Weilin was leading a delegation attending the International Conference on Combating Online Scams, held in Cambodia from Sept. 22 to 25, 2026. During the meeting, the Chinese Vice Minister conveyed greetings from H.E. Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China, and H.E. Li Qiang, Premier of the State Council of China, to Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet. H.E. Yang Weilin commended Cambodia’s rapid development across various sectors, which he said had contributed to improving the livelihoods of the Cambodian people. He also highlighted the continued strengthening and expansion of bilateral relations and cooperation through efforts to build a Cambodia-China Community with a Shared Future in the New Era in all seasons, as well as the elevation of the bilateral dialogue mechanism from 2+2 to 3+3, with the addition of Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior and China’s Ministry of Public Security. The Chinese Vice Minister underscored the importance of further strengthening bilateral cooperation, particularly joint efforts to combat transnational crime and online scams. In response, Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet expressed his appreciation to the Chinese Government and people for their continued support for Cambodia’s socio-economic development. He also welcomed the cooperation between Cambodia and China in strengthening security, sharing information and enhancing the capacity of Cambodian law enforcement officials. Regarding efforts to combat online scams, Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet reaffirmed the Royal Government’s commitment to eliminating such activities from Cambodian territory. He stressed, however, that Cambodia could not address the issue alone and required cooperation from partner countries and other relevant stakeholders. The Prime Minister also highlighted Cambodia-China cooperation in promoting tourism and strengthening people-to-people ties, particularly efforts to attract more Chinese tourists to visit Cambodia. Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet emphasised that Cambodia is a safe and welcoming tourism destination, with its people offering warmth and hospitality to visitors. By C. Nika