AKP Phnom Penh, August 15, 2026 --

On the afternoon of Aug. 14, the “Building a Cambodia-China Community with a Shared Future in the New Era: A 2025 Survey on Cambodian Youth’s Perception of People-to-People Exchange” Report Launch and Policy Dialogue was held at the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP).

The event was jointly organised by the Cambodia 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Research Center (CMSRRC) at RUPP and the Cambodia Research Centre (CCS) of Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU), with support from the Charhar Institute and the Cambodia-China Exchange and Cooperation Centre (CENCC). Government officials, scholars and experts from universities and research institutions, as well as youth and student representatives from Cambodia and China, gathered to witness the release of the report.

At the opening ceremony, Oum Ravy, Vice President of RUPP, delivered welcoming remarks. She said Cambodia and China have built a deep friendship based on mutual respect and common development, with people-to-people exchanges playing an important role in strengthening bilateral ties. She noted that RUPP serves as an important bridge for youth exchanges and mutual understanding, and expressed hope that the survey would help better understand young people’s needs and encourage their greater participation in Cambodia-China cooperation.

Chen Cong, Minister-Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Cambodia, said that during President Xi Jinping’s visit to Cambodia in April 2025, the two countries agreed to accelerate the building of an all-weather China-Cambodia community with a shared future in the new era and deepen cooperation in culture, tourism, education, heritage conservation and youth exchanges. In June and July this year, Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, President of the Senate of Cambodia, and Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Cambodia, respectively visited China, further advancing bilateral relations and people-to-people exchanges.

He noted that exchanges between the Chinese and Khmer civilisations date back nearly 2,000 years, providing a strong foundation for the two countries’ longstanding friendship. He said the report highlights both the achievements of people-to-people exchanges and Cambodian youth’s expectations for studying, travelling and engaging in exchanges in China. The Chinese Embassy will continue to support youth exchange mechanisms and provide more scholarships, study visits and training opportunities to strengthen exchanges between young people from both countries.

Gu Jiayun, Director of the Center for Cambodian Studies at BFSU, said that people-to-people friendship holds the key to state-to-state relations, with youth serving as the future of bilateral ties. He noted that RUPP has been a long-standing partner of BFSU since the early years of China-Cambodia diplomatic relations. The survey report is another important outcome of their cooperation.

He called for expanding youth exchange channels, aligning exchanges with social development needs, and strengthening research and intellectual support to further deepen China-Cambodia youth cooperation.

At the subsequent survey report launch, Neak Chandarith, Director of the Cambodia 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Research Centre and Dean of the Institute of International Relations and Public Policy at RUPP, and HUANG Meiyun, Project Manager of the centre, presented the report’s key findings and policy implications.

The nationwide survey collected 2,380 valid responses from Generation Z respondents across five areas: education, tourism, culture, film and television, and youth exchanges. It provides valuable first-hand data and is one of the most comprehensive assessments to date of Cambodian youth’s perceptions of Cambodia-China relations.

During the “Youth Policy Roundtable,” panelists Kin Phea, Leang Un and Lim Chhay discussed how to translate the survey findings into practical initiatives for Cambodia-China youth exchanges and bilateral cooperation.

Participants agreed that the report and policy dialogue provide valuable insights into Cambodian youth’s perceptions and expectations and will help deepen people-to-people exchanges and advance the building of a Cambodia-China community with a shared future in the new era.

By Freya Song, Special Correspondent for Agence Kampuchea Presse (AKP)