Phnom Penh and China's Hailun City to Explore Sister City Ties

Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, and Hailun City, People's Republic of China, will explore the possibility of establishing sister city ties to further strengthen cooperation in tourism and other sectors. This intention was expressed during a courtesy call and working meeting between Mr. Khuong Sreng, Governor of Phnom Penh, and Mr. Han Senjian, Deputy Governor of Hailun City, held at the Phnom Penh City Hall on the afternoon of July 20, 2026. During the meeting, Mr. Khuong Sreng highlighted the general situation and recent development of Phnom Penh, as well as the Royal Government's vision for Cambodia to become an upper-middle-income country by 2030 and a high-income country by 2050. He also noted that Cambodia and China have had cooperative relations for over 60 years, and Phnom Penh has already established sister city relationships with several cities in China. Mr. Han Senjian, Deputy Governor of Hailun City, stated that the purpose of his delegation's visit to Phnom Penh was to establish a good cooperative relationship with Phnom Penh, particularly to promote the tourism sector and encourage the import of Cambodian fruits into Hailun City. He mentioned that tourism in his province is very popular during the winter season, especially in Harbin city. He added that Cambodia has the renowned Angkor Wat temple and many other tourist attractions, and that Phnom Penh and Hailun City should cooperate in promoting these to their respective citizens to further invigorate tourism in both cities. He also invited Mr. Khuong Sreng and his colleagues to visit Hailun City during the upcoming winter season. In response to the Deputy Governor of Hailun City's intention to foster a better partnership and cooperation, Mr. Khuong Sreng proposed that Phnom Penh and Hailun City should consider the possibility of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish sister city ties. As a next step, it was suggested that specialized officials should discuss the detailed content of the MOU before seeking approval from the governments of both countries. Regarding the invitation from the Deputy Governor, the Governor expressed his intention to lead a delegation to visit Hailun City at an appropriate time. Source: Kampuchea Thmey Local