China-Cambodia Friendship Commune Witnesses 40 Years of Sino-Cambodian Friendship

In November 1971， the State Council of China issued a decree， naming the Changyang People’s Commune of Fangshan County in Beijing as Changyang China-Cambodia Friendship People’s Commune. A grand naming ceremony was held in Changyang on November 7. State leaders including Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai， Vice Premier Li Xian- nian， and Prince Norodom Sihanouk and Penn Nouth of Cambodia attended the ceremony and together planted five evergreen saplings.

To commemorate this event and encourage later generations to carry on the tradition of China-Cambodia friendship， the CPAFFC and the People’s Government of Fangshan District co-sponsored activities to mark the 40th anniversary in Changyang Township on November 7， 2011.

Among those present were Gu Xiulian， former Vice Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and President of the China-Cambodia Friendship Association; Li Xiaolin and Feng Zuoku， President and Vice President of the CPAFFC; Princess Norodom Buppha Devi， President of the Cambodia-China Friendship Association; Khek M. Caimealy， Cambodian Ambassador to China; Liang Wei， member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and Chairman of the Beijing Municipal Federation of Trade Unions; Zhao Jiaqi， President of the Beijing People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries; Liu Wei， Secretary of the CPC Fangshan District Committee; and Qi Hong， Magistrate of Fangshan District.

Along with over 300 representatives from various circles of the two countries， they celebrated a glorious 40 years of the China-Cambodia Friendship People’s Commune.

On the morning of November 7， distinguished guests of the two countries including descendants of the older generation of state leaders such as Li Xiaolin， daughter of Vice Premier Li Xiannian， Princess Buppha Devi， daughter of Prince Sihanouk and Penn Dararadh， grandson of Penn Nouth arrived in Changyang. They tied red ribbons to and then watered the five cypress trees symbolizing China-Cambodia friendship. Gu Xiulian， Li Xiaolin and Buppha Devi then unveiled the China-Cambodia friendship tree monument.

At the activity with the theme “Witness”， the guests of the two countries watched a precious documentary shot 40 years ago of the leaders of the two countries attending the founding ceremony of the Commune and planting the trees of friendship and a short film entitled Changyang Today. During an interview period， those who took part in the Commune’s founding ceremony—Lu Yi， the then Party Secretary of the Commune， Xu Shiqing， the girl who presented flowers to Premier Zhou and An Xiulan， a Commune member—talked about their personal experiences with profound feelings. It was a touching scene.

In her speech Gu Xiulian said: “The people of China and Cambodia have gone through great changes in international situation and stood the test of time. They have always supported and encouraged each other， and advanced hand in hand on the road of maintaining world peace. The friendship and cooperation between our two countries has grown continuously， the traditional friendship has been increasingly strengthened and the friendly feelings for each other have taken roots in the hearts of our peoples. I am confident that the commemoration activities will further deepen the bilateral cooperation and exchanges and inject new vigor and vitality into bilateral friendship.”

Princess Buppha Devi said that she was very excited to attend these activities of historical significance and was glad to see that the China-Cambodia friendship trees grow luxuriously under the meticulous care of the people of Changyang. She extended sincere thanks to the Chinese people on behalf of the King Father Sihanouk and the Queen Mother Monineath and wished the tradition of Cambodia-China friendship would be passed on from generation to generation.

To further promote the cause of lasting friendship， the CPAFFC has decided to designate Changyang Township “China-Cambodia Friendly Exchange Base” and， at the same time， the “China-Cambodia Friendly Exchange Fund” with one million RMB put in by Changyang Township was set up within the CPAFFC.

The five evergreen saplings planted 40 years ago have grown into tall trees， standing witness to lasting friendship between the people of China and Cambodia. We should always remember the painstaking efforts made by the older generations of state leaders of the two countries to develop China-Cambodia friendship.