China plays major role in global peace, health, development: Cambodian official, experts

PHNOM PENH, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- China has been playing a major role in promoting global peace, public health and common development, Cambodian official and experts said.

Cambodian government chief spokesman Phay Siphan said China has been unwaveringly upholding multilateralism and free trade and opposing unilateralism and protectionism.

"China has always promoted rules-based global economic governance in order to build an open world economy," he told Xinhua.

As a major engine of global economic growth and recovery, China's peaceful development is a boon for the world, Siphan said, adding that "China always adheres to the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs, opposes hegemony and treats all countries equally regardless of small or big."

To date, China has provided 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to over 120 countries and international organizations.

"Chinese vaccines have saved millions of people's lives across the world," he said.

In terms of poverty alleviation, Siphan said China's experience in poverty eradication was very helpful to other countries, especially developing countries like Cambodia.

Joseph Matthews, senior professor at the BELTEI International University in Phnom Penh, said China has always shared its knowledge, technology, and wealth with poor and developing countries around the world.

"The BRI, backed by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), has been connecting the world as a community of shared future for mankind, and China's development fruits have been shared and reached out to all countries around the globe," he said.

Matthews said China is a strong advocate of multilateralism, which is the key to addressing global challenges such as COVID-19 and climate change. "Collaboration and a multinational approach are the keys to tackling these issues."

Thong Mengdavid, a research fellow at the Phnom Penh-based Asian Vision Institute, said China is a global development partner that has provided tremendous support and assistance to the international community through both bilateral and multilateral development frameworks.

"China's domestic development model can be served as the model for developing countries with a people-centric philosophy," he told Xinhua, noting that the BRI enhances socio-economic development across the region and stimulates cooperation in capacity building, knowledge sharing, human resources development and interconnectivity.

"Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, China remains a key driving force for global economic recovery and a development partner based on win-win mentality and the reciprocal interests of the 'south' developing world," he said.