- His Excellency, Professor Xie Shangguo, President of Guangxi University for Nationalities
- Huang Jiang, Vice Director of Foreign Affairs office of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
- His Excellency, Professors, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen!
Today, I am very pleased and honored to be awarded the Honorary Doctorate Degree in Literature from the renowned Guangxi University for Nationalities. Taking this opportunity, I would like to extend my profound thanks to Professor Xie Shangguo, the President of Guangxi University for Nationalities and the Academic Committee of the State Council of PRC for granting me this Honorary Doctorate. I am very delighted to receive this Doctorate Degree in Literature.
At the same time, I believe that is Honorary Doctorate Degree in Literature granted to me today attests to the acknowledgement of not only my personal efforts, but also the joint efforts of Cambodia as a whole under the right leadership of Royal Government of Cambodia in achieving peace and making process in social welfare and economic development in the Kingdom of Cambodia, which have also significantly contributed to the regional peace, stability and progress socially, economically and politically.
Over the past two decades, Cambodia has constantly achieved high economic growth with the average growth rate 7.7 % per annum despite domestic and international uncertainties and risks. With this exceptional performance, Cambodia has been recognized as one of the world’s eight “Olympians of Growth” by international financial institutions. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has played an active role, thanked to domestic and regional favorable conditions; especially the relocation of factories from neighboring countries in the regions and the increase of FDI from partner countries such as China, Japan and South Korea. This indicates the increasing attention to Cambodia’s investment potentials and opportunities; particularly, the confidence placed on the Royal Government of Cambodia in leading and managing the country.
Cambodia’s position is now in three important trajectories: First, Cambodia is located in Asia and ASEAN regions, highly dynamic economies; second, it has great demographic potential/dividend; and third, the country is in its transition from a low-income country to a lower middle-income country. It is clear that Cambodia has strong determination to grasp and effectively capitalize on this new and unique opportunity to become a higher middle-income country by 2030.
With this vision, the Royal Government of Cambodia has adopted in-depth and comprehensive reform strategies and programs in all sectors. It aims to secure a sustainable development path to have firm confidence going forward by strictly committing to ensuring peace, political stability, public order and harmony, stable favorable macroeconomic environment and financial sector conditions and public governance and administration that could provide effective and quality public services to businesses and people.
It is obvious that human resource development is of our highest priority under this framework. The RGC will certainly enhance greater flow of national investment, from both republic and private sources, in to education and vocational training. Now, the reforms to promote quality of education have been actively implemented at all levels from primary to tertiary levels. Particularly, in tertiary level, the RGC is exerting greater effort in investing in research and innovation at universities by cooperating with regional tertiary institutions and other high quality tertiary institutions around the world. To meet new demand of the 21th century, the RGC has instructed Cambodians universities to provide more training to youth and Cambodian people on critical thinking and analysis, problem solving skills, communication skills and ICT. To strengthen the long-term competitiveness of the country, we need skilled people with high professional qualification and broader general knowledge. We want to have a new generation of leaders who not only possess high professional qualification, but also have high level of integrity with strong determination, great morality and admiring patriotism to serve in both public and private sectors.
The tie between Kingdom of Cambodia and People’s Republic of China has been well-developed for a long time since the Angkor Empire era. The relation was further expanded an enhanced more closely in Sangkum Reastre Niyum (People’s Socialist Community) under the royal leadership of the King Father Samdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk, especially through the establishment of diplomatic relation between the two countries on July 19, 1958. The relation has henceforth expanded, strengthened and enhanced to become the comprehensive strategic partnership as it is today. In this sense, the bilateral cooperation between the two countries has been proudly improved and reflected in frequent visits of leaders and people of our two countries. Cambodia and the PRC are very close and trustful friends to each other. Without generous and unconditional supports from the PRC, Cambodia’s today success resulted from last two-decade exceptional economic performance would have never been materialized.
Therefore, on this meaningful occasion, I would also like to express my heartfelt thanks to the people and PRC’s government for their ongoing generous support to Cambodia and its people.
Today’s event also underlines the present and future duties that I have to pursue further and to ensure the success for our nation and people. Therefore, in this special occasion, I would like to reiterate my strong commitment in devoting my remaining life time to protect, strengthen and further enhance Cambodia’s recently accomplished achievements for the prosperity of Cambodia and its people in this generation and the next ones to come. I would like also to stress that the degree bestowed upon me here is not only for me but also for the RGC and Cambodian People because the achievements, which we have jointly made for the sake of our beloved motherland and nation, are being recognized and appreciated.
Once again, I would like to express my profound appreciation to Guangxi University’s management board for conferring upon me this Honorary Doctorate Degree today and for your warm hospitality extended to me and my delegation. Finally, I wish all participants good health and success in all your endeavors.
