Diplomatic idioms | The story behind this “Medal of friendship”



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On November 6, President Xi Jinping presented the “Medal of Friendship” of the People’s Republic of China to Queen Mother Monineath of Cambodia in the Great Hall of the People. She is also the ninth foreign friend to receive this honor since the establishment of the “Medal of Friendship.” The “Medal of Friendship” is China’s highest foreign medal of honor.

Diplomatic idioms |  The story behind it

Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Xueren.

“Queen Mother Monineath is an important witness and promoter of the friendship between China and Cambodia,” President Xi Jinping said at the award ceremony. During the meeting on the same day, President Xi Jinping praised the role played by Dowager Queen Monineath in promoting generations of Sino-Cambodian friendship and exchanges and cooperation in various fields with “a special and important contribution.”

In 1958, Queen Mother Monineath accompanied Prince Sihanouk to China for the first time and has since forged an indissoluble bond with China. Kunming, Nanjing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Xi’an … Monineath has accompanied Sihanouk to many places in China, actively supporting and promoting exchanges and cooperation between the two countries in various fields.

“This heavy ‘Friendship Medal’ represents the Chinese people’s reverence for Queen Mother Monineath and their deep friendship with the Cambodian people. It also symbolizes the close friendship between China and Cambodia.” President Xi Jinping explained the medal in this way. The meaning behind.

Helping each other and sharing good and pain can be said to be an outstanding manifestation of the “closeness” between China and Cambodia.

In the past, when the People’s Republic of China suffered external blockades and hostility at the beginning of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Cambodia took the lead in establishing diplomatic relations with China; Cambodia has provided strong support to China in its fight to restore its legal seat at the United Nations. At the same time, in Cambodia’s struggle for national independence and national liberation, maintenance and peace and stability, China has also provided Cambodia with strong support and assistance.

Looking at the moment, at the critical moment in China’s fight against the new crown pneumonia epidemic, King Sihamoni and the Dowager Queen Monineath expressed their condolences to President Xi Jinping and provided cash assistance. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen expressed his support for the visit to China. The Chinese side has returned to Cambodia and sent the first anti-epidemic medical expert team from the surrounding government and the world’s first anti-epidemic military medical expert team to Cambodia to provide anti-epidemic materials and share diagnosis and treatment experiences.

At the award ceremony, President Xi Jinping praised the relations between China and Cambodia during the 62 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations with the words “unwavering ‘unconditional’ friendship”, “strategic community of destination” and “a model of exchanges between states “. “The royal family of Cambodia has played an important and irreplaceable role in this.”

Emperor Sihanouk and the previous generation of Chinese leaders have forged a deep traditional friendship. Today, Cambodia’s royal family and Chinese leaders still visit frequently as relatives, and China-Cambodia relations increasingly show new vitality.

In 2016, President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Cambodia, and the Cambodian side received it to an exceptionally high standard. In the square in front of the Royal Palace of Cambodia, where usually only the portraits of the king are placed, huge portraits of President Xi Jinping and King Sihamoni of Cambodia stand side by side. President Xi Jinping went to the Sihanouk memorial statue to present a basket of flowers. Empress Dowager Monineath decided to accompany him in person; the chair that Emperor Sihanouk used to sit on during his lifetime, Queen Mother Monineath specially invited President Xi Jinping to take a seat.

Diplomatic idioms |  The story behind it

Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Yao Dawei.

On September 19, 2018, on the occasion of the Mid-Autumn Festival, President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan cordially visited King Sihamoni and Queen Mother Monineath, who were recovering in Beijing at the Diaoyutai State Pension.

Diplomatic idioms |  The story behind it

Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Huang Jingwen.

During his stay in China, King Sihamoni deliberately visited Yan’an in the footsteps of Emperor Sihanouk and Empress Dowager Monineath 50 years ago. “This is not only a journey to inherit friendship, but also a journey to enhance friendship,” said President Xi Jinping.

Looking ahead, President Xi Jinping looked forward to this: “We must continue our efforts to push the China-Cambodia comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to a new level.”

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of a comprehensive strategic cooperation partnership between China and Cambodia and the first anniversary of the signing of the China-Cambodia Community Shared Future Action Plan. It is believed that the China-Cambodia relations will achieve new and higher development in the new historical period and bring more benefits to the two peoples.

Producer: Che Yuming, Liu Hua

Coordinator: Lei Min

Lead Writer: Pan Jie

Produced by Xinhua News Agency

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责编:陈畅 ]

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