His Excellency Dr. UN Kheang, Secretary of State of MFAIC, presided over the opening ceremony of a panel discussion on “China’s Diplomacy in the New Era: Theories and Practices” on 20 May 2024. Panelists include Her Excellency Chen Bo, President of the China Institute of International Studies (CIIS), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, and three other experts from CIIS. The discussion was organized by NIDIR and was attended by over 100 participants from MFAIC, line ministries, and institutions of higher education and think tanks. The main topic of discussion was on addressing China’s socio-economic developments and role in the New Era by highlighting China’s new initiatives, namely the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), and the Global Security Initiative (GSI), to build a global community with a shared future.  Furthermore, the panel also stressed the close and friendship relations between Cambodia-China and how China views Cambodia as a model for international relations.

On the sidelines, His Excellency Dr. UN Kheang and Her Excellency Chen Bo hold a bilateral meeting between NIDIR and CIIS on the same morning and during the working lunch. Both sides discussed cooperation, the possibility of signing an MOU between both institutions followed by a concrete work plan, and joint activities in areas of academic exchange, research, and training.