AKP Phnom Penh, March 10, 2026 --

H.E. Dr. Chheang Vannarith, Deputy Secretary-General and Chairman of the Advisory Council of the National Assembly (NA) of the Kingdom of Cambodia, received here on Mar. 10 Professor Yang Jiemian, Chairman of the Academic Advisory Council of the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS).

During the meeting, H.E. Dr. Chheang Vannarith warmly welcomed the Chinese delegation and expressed appreciation for their visit to the NA and for sharing experiences with officials of the Secretariat-General. 

He noted that such exchanges help strengthen Cambodia-China think tank cooperation and policy research collaboration.

Dr. Vannarith also conveyed his gratitude for the warm hospitality extended by SIIS during his visit to Shanghai last year with the support of the National People's Congress of China. 

He emphasised that continued engagement between research institutions and parliamentary bodies plays an important role in strengthening knowledge exchange and policy dialogue between Cambodia and China.

Dr. Vannarith noted that the initiative reflects the encouragement and support of Samdech Maha Rathsapheathika Thipadei Khuon Sudary, President of the Cambodian NA, who has promoted policy research and the development of think tanks within the NA to strengthen evidence-based policymaking and institutional capacity, supporting the leadership and members of the National Assembly in better serving the Cambodian people.

Professor Yang Jiemian, for his part, expressed his pleasure at visiting Cambodia’s NA for the first time. 

Reflecting on his academic journey and decades of service at SIIS, he shared insights from his early scholarly work on parliamentary systems and international affairs.

He also observed that only a small number of think tanks are established within higher education institutions in Cambodia, while China hosts thousands of think tanks across universities and research institutes. 

He noted that expanding policy research institutions in universities could help strengthen research capacity, policy analysis, and intellectual exchanges between the two countries.

He also highlighted the strong and enduring friendship between Cambodia and China, noting that the close ties between the two countries have been strengthened under the leadership of His Maejesty the King Norodom Sihamoni, Samdech Techo Hun Sen, and Samdech Prime Minister Hun Manet, contributing to deeper partnership and development cooperation between the two nations.

Quoting a well-known proverb, Professor Yang said, “If you want to go fast, walk alone; if you want to go far, walk together,” emphasising that Cambodia and China should continue working together, including through closer cooperation among think tanks.

He also shared recommendations on the development of think tanks, stressing that strong leadership, clear institutional mechanisms, and sustained commitment are essential for building high-quality and professional think tanks. 

Professor Yang encouraged the Cambodian side to consider establishing a parliamentary think tank and to seek partnerships with international counterparts for future cooperation and joint research.

The meeting reflected growing interest from both sides in strengthening intellectual exchanges and policy research cooperation in support of the broader Cambodia–China comprehensive partnership.

By Chea Vannak