In the midst of festivities this week, Cambodians welcomed not only relatives returning from afar but also an old friend and prominent figure on the world stage: Chinese President Xi Jinping.

PHNOM PENH, April 18 (Xinhua) -- In Cambodia, April heralds the advent of the Khmer New Year, a time of homecomings, family gatherings and nationwide celebration. For people in this land, it is the most cherished holiday of the year.

In the midst of festivities this week, Cambodians welcomed not only relatives returning from afar but also an old friend and prominent figure on the world stage: Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"I am very happy to visit Cambodia on the occasion of the Khmer New Year. For me, it feels like going to the home of a good friend," Xi said in a signed article published on Thursday in Cambodian media outlets ahead of his arrival.

Cambodia is the last stop of Xi's Southeast Asia tour, which was his first overseas trip this year and also took him to Vietnam and Malaysia.

Upon arrival in Phnom Penh, Xi was warmly welcomed by Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, Cambodian People's Party President and Senate President Samdech Techo Hun Sen and other senior officials at the airport.

This was the first time for King Sihamoni to greet any foreign head of state at the airport, a gesture that highlighted the significance of this visit to bilateral ties.

Crowds lined roads and streets, holding portraits of Xi and the Cambodian king, and waving Chinese and Cambodian national flags and bright bouquets. Chants of "long live Cambodia-China friendship, solidarity and cooperation" resonated across the city.

China-Cambodia friendly exchange spans two millennia of shared history. Since the elder generations of Chinese and Cambodian leaders forged a special bond between the two countries decades ago, the relationship has grown ever stronger and closer.

Prior to his 2016 visit to Cambodia, Xi noted in a signed article that China will never forget Cambodia's role as one of the first nations to recognize the People's Republic of China and a champion of China's rightful seat at the United Nations.

The friendship between the two close neighbors has always been mutual. China has been a steadfast partner of Cambodia, supporting its national independence and economic development, including the construction of Cambodia's first cement plant and thermal power station.

On Thursday, Xi once again recalled the cherished history of solidarity between the two nations.

Regardless of changes in the international landscape, China and Cambodia have stood by each other in good faith and with mutual assistance, offering unwavering support on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns, Xi said when meeting with King Sihamoni.

Back in November 2020, Xi awarded a Friendship Medal to the queen mother at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. "This weighty 'Friendship Medal' represents the deep respect of the Chinese people for Queen Mother Monineath and the profound friendship between China and Cambodia," Xi said then.

To recognize Xi's outstanding contributions to strengthening bilateral ties, King Sihamoni presented Xi with the National Order of Independence - Grand Collar in a ceremony on Thursday, hailing him as a great friend of Cambodia.

For his part, Xi said that this medal fully demonstrates Cambodia's high regard for developing China-Cambodia relations and carries the deep friendship of the Cambodian people towards the Chinese people.

This honor, Xi said, belongs not only to him personally, but also to all the friendly people who have cultivated and contributed to the friendship between China and Cambodia.

In a world increasingly marred by zero-sum mentality and unilateralism, the mutual trust and friendship between China and Global South nations, including Cambodia, has become more precious than ever.

As noted by Norodom Arun Rasmey, the youngest daughter of the late King Father Norodom Sihanouk, trust is like a tree; it takes time to grow, but once established, it becomes strong and enduring.

The friendship between Cambodia and China has been flourishing in this same spirit to this day, she said. "This trust serves as a solid foundation for future cooperation and shared prosperity between our two countries."