China, Cambodia issue joint statement

China and Cambodia will work more quickly on an action plan for the implementation of the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation between the two countries, a joint statement said Monday.

The joint statement, issued at the end of Chinese President Hu Jintao's state visit to Cambodia, said the two sides agreed to maintain the good tradition of high-level visits and exchanges and maintain two-way visits by leaders of political parties.

The two countries will value and deepen bilateral economic cooperation and trade from a strategic perspective and further raise its scale, quality and level, the statement said.

The two sides agree that annual bilateral trade will double from the current 2.5 billion U.S. dollars to 5 billion dollars by 2017.

The Chinese side is ready to continue to provide economic assistance within its capacity to Cambodia for its national development and support Cambodia's infrastructure development, such as transportation, energy, telecommunications and water conservation.

The Chinese side supports competent and reputable Chinese enterprises in their efforts to enhance cooperation with the Cambodian side in such key fields as infrastructure, agriculture, industry, tourism and the establishment of economic and trade cooperation zones.

China and Cambodia also agreed to further deepen bilateral military cooperation, maintain contacts between the ministries of defense and military forces at all levels of the two countries.

They will further deepen cooperation in law enforcement and security, and enhance high-level visits and working-level exchanges between the law enforcement agencies of the two countries.

The two sides agreed to promote efficient and practical cooperation in the fields of combating cross-border trafficking in persons, telecommunication fraud, terrorism, drug control, capability building in law enforcement, and case investigation assistance, work together to maintain domestic security and social stability of the two countries, and contribute to peace and tranquility of the region.

The two sides decided to designate the year 2013, the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Cambodia, the "China-Cambodia Year of Friendship," during which celebration activities of rich contents and various forms will be held.

According to the joint statement, the Cambodian side reaffirmed its commitment to the one-China policy, recognizing the government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China and that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China.

They agreed to further enhance coordination and cooperation at multilateral forums such as the United Nations and Asia-Europe Meeting, and work together to safeguard the interests of all developing countries.

They will also further enhance cooperation under the framework of regional cooperation mechanisms such as ASEAN plus China, Japan and South Korea, East Asia Summit and Great Mekong Subregional Economic Cooperation.

Both sides will deepen and widen ASEAN-China Cooperation in political, security, economic, connectivity, social and cultural fields as well as in international and regional affairs, and push the ASEAN-China strategic partnership to a new high.

Both sides reaffirmed their support for the establishment of the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone and expressed readiness to work together for the early entry into force of the Protocol to the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty.

Both sides agreed that China and ASEAN countries shall continue to abide by the purpose and spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), give full play to all the existing mechanisms including the Guidelines for the implementation of the DOC, facilitate the full implementation of the DOC, and ensure the success of the workshop on the 10th Anniversary of the signing of the DOC.