PHNOM PENH, April 10 (Xinhua) -- A Cambodia-China forum was held here on Wednesday with a focus on "iron-clad" friendship between the two countries in a new era.

Organized by the International Relations Institute of Cambodia (IRIC), a think tank under the Royal Academy of Cambodia, the forum brought together around 100 participants from government agencies, academic experts, researchers, university professors and students, among others.

Sok Sopheak, secretary of state for the Cambodian Ministry of Commerce, said the iron-clad friendship has laid a solid foundation for both countries to work together closely for mutual benefit, win-win cooperation and shared prosperity.

He said in terms of bilateral trade, the two countries have enjoyed annual two-digit growth for many years, and two-way trade volume has grown higher after the Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement entered into force simultaneously on Jan. 1, 2022.

Sopheak said under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), mega-infrastructure projects, including special economic zones, seaports, Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway, new Siem Reap and Phnom Penh International Airports, bridges, and roads, have been carried out in the Southeast Asian country.

"These key infrastructure projects have enhanced Cambodia's logistic performance and reduced trade costs," he said. "They have also promoted Cambodia's integration in the ASEAN Master Plan on Connectivity."

Hoeurn Somnieng, deputy secretary general of the Council for the Development of Cambodia, said Cambodia and China have also enjoyed fruitful results in private investment and developmental cooperation.

"China has been the largest source of foreign investment in Cambodia for many consecutive years," he said.

For developmental cooperation, currently, 14 projects under China's Official Development Assistance have been implemented in Cambodia, Somnieng said, adding that those projects include landmine elimination, national roads, bridges, reservoir, irrigation system, rural power grid, and submarine cable.

Sok Touch, president of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said relations between Cambodia and China are currently at the highest-ever level in history.

"We are embarking on a new chapter of cooperation, trust and prosperity, and win-win cooperation and shared prosperity are driving factors for Cambodia-China iron-clad friendship to become stronger and more prosperous," he said.

Touch said Cambodia-China iron-clad friendship was "unbreakable" and was made based on the principle of mutual respect, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, win-win cooperation, and shared prosperity.

"China has become Cambodia's most important development partner, playing a key role in driving the kingdom's economic growth through massive investments in infrastructure, construction, trade, and other sectors," he said.

Touch said China's support has played and will continue to play a crucial role in helping Cambodia achieve its ambitious goals of becoming an upper-middle-income country by 2030 and a high-income country by 2050.

IRIC Director-General Kin Phea said as traditionally close neighbors and partners, Cambodia and China have forged and nurtured an unbreakable 'iron-clad' friendship that has weathered historical tests and difficulties.

He said China has made great contributions to Cambodia's socio-economic development and poverty alleviation.

"The Belt and Road Initiative has played a vital role in helping modernize Cambodia's transportation network, energy sector, and digital infrastructure," he said.

Chheng Kimlong, president of the Asian Vision Institute, said relations between Cambodia and China have been rooted in a very long history, and the ties have developed further by trust between leaderships of the two countries.

"We have seen a lot of practical cooperation projects ranging from infrastructure development to investment from China," he told Xinhua.

He said China has provided tremendous support to Cambodia's development under the BRI, the Global Development Initiative, and the framework of building a Cambodia-China community with a shared future in a new era.

"In short, the relations have been further deepened, expanded, enhanced, and broadened," Kimlong said.

Wu Jinhai, deputy general manager of China Road and Bridge Corporation Cambodia Office, said under the BRI, cooperation between China and Cambodia has been deepened, and enterprises have served as an important bridge to further promote this relationship.

He said since 2001, the company has helped construct numerous infrastructure projects, which have been the backbone of Cambodia's socio-economic development.

Wu said the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway was "a successful example of China-Cambodia cooperation" and "a vivid epitome of joint development of the two countries."

You Yuansheng, general manager of China Huadian Lower Stung Russei Chrum Hydro-Electric Project (Cambodia) Company Limited, said China-Cambodia relations are based on mutual trust, mutual respect and equal treatment, and are rock-solid and unbreakable.

He said Chinese power companies have invested in and built thermal power, hydropower, photovoltaic and wind power projects in Cambodia, and participated in the improvement of national power grid.

"Close political, economic and trade relations between China and Cambodia have laid a solid foundation for energy cooperation between the two countries," he said, "China-Cambodia energy cooperation has effectively promoted Cambodia's energy transformation and growth."