Phnom Penh: In the context of Cambodia promoting the implementation of the “Pentagon Strategy” and accelerating regional economic integration, opening up to the outside world and attracting foreign investment have become important driving forces for national development. At the same time, expanding international cooperation beyond the ASEAN framework and strengthening connectivity with global resources are also becoming important directions of Cambodia’s diplomatic work.
In this process, Mr. Heng Pov, Cambodian Consul General in Xi’an, China, has actively promoted grassroots exchanges, industrial cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges between Cambodia and China, based on his many years of experience in grassroots diplomacy and economic and trade cooperation.
He has become an important driver and witness of this process. Cambodia-China steel friendship has entered a new stage of high-quality development. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, Cambodia and China have maintained a high level of mutual trust in political matters.
The two sides have maintained a position of mutual support on issues concerning the core interests of the two countries. Under the strategic leadership and long-term vision of the leaders of the two countries, the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between Cambodia and China has been further deepened to jointly build a Cambodia-China community of shared future in all seasons in the new era.
Under the perspective of the deepening integration between Cambodia’s “Pentagon Strategy” and China’s “Belt and Road Initiative”, bilateral cooperation has been continuously strengthened and expanded. China has been Cambodia’s largest trading partner, largest source of investment, and major source of tourism for many years.
Consul General Heng Pov has repeatedly emphasized that the true vitality of this “iron friendship” is not only expressed in strategic unity at the national level, but also in closer and more practical cooperation at the grassroots level and between people and people. His many years of experience as a consular officer in Xi’an, China, are a true reflection of this concept.
Expand cooperation between Cambodia and western China, using Xi’an as a hub. As a core city of the “Belt and Road” initiative, Xi’an, China, has the potential to open up economic opportunities to Central Asia, ASEAN and the world.
The city has outstanding industrial capabilities and is rich in scientific and educational resources in fields such as information technology, electronics, new energy vehicles, modern logistics, digital technology, biomedicine and aerospace, etc. This has made Xi’an an important partner for Cambodia in promoting its industrialization process and bringing modern technology into the country.
Consul General Heng Pov clearly understood the value of the strategic port. He has worked hard to promote Cambodia’s participation in various economic and trade exchange activities in Shaanxi Province, promoting investment opportunities in Cambodia in the manufacturing, agriculture, industrial parks and tourism sectors to help Cambodia attract the attention and investment of enterprises in western China.
At the “Xi’an + ASEAN + Middle East + Europe Economic and Trade Investment Cooperation Development Conference 2026” held in April 2026, the Cambodian delegation highlighted the regional geographical potential and Cambodia’s industrial potential, receiving positive responses from many parties.
Promote practical cooperation to take shape, import resources for Cambodia’s development, cultural events such as the “ASEAN Food Market” were held in Xi’an, China, bringing Cambodian culture to people in western China, and promoting mutual understanding and further strengthening friendship between the people of the two countries.
Near the end of his term, his sentiments are still attached to both countries. The term of Consul General Heng Pov is nearing its end. Looking back on his many years of service in Xi’an, he honestly admitted that this experience was one of the most valuable chapters in his diplomatic life.
“The friendship between Cambodia and China has its roots in ancient times and is being nurtured to be strong in the present and will continue to grow deeper in the future. We will continue to play the role of a bridge, promoting the continuous strengthening of practical cooperation between the two sides, so that the people of both countries can enjoy more tangible benefits from this friendship.”
It is the diplomats who have been and are working actively and practically like Consul General Heng Pov who have made Cambodia-China friendship not only at the level of speeches or grand visions, but also have shown concrete results through every investment promotion, every order of agricultural products, and every student who goes to study in China.
