New Chinese Envoy Pursues Engagement Strategy
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By:
- Teng Yalirozy
August 30, 2024 , 3:15 PM
PHNOM PENH – After almost two months of becoming Chinese ambassador, Wang Wenbin is often recognised by Cambodians from his social media posts about tourism and his visits to provinces and key individuals.
This different approach from previous Chinese ambassadors is seen as a new strategy to tie the relationship between Cambodia and China.
International relations researchers and government representatives admire the new ambassador’s activity, hoping to see more countries with an embassy or consulate sharing information about the country.
Replacing Wang Wentien, former Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin arrived on July 5. Since then, he has been engaging with local media and immersing himself in Cambodian culture.
He joined Princess Norodom Arunrasmey to learn about Khmer art and discussed Cambodia-China traditional friendship while visiting students at the Royal University of Fine Arts. He also posted a lot about tourism in Siem Reap and Angkor Wat.
Cambodian government spokesperson Pen Bona said Wang’s action is a part of the countries’ relationship. Cambodia and China are friends who have a top-level relationship and help each other.
“What he is doing is in the name of a best friend who truly understands each other,” he said.
“As the two countries have reached a comprehensive relationship, what we should be doing further is to maintain the friendship so that we can keep benefiting from each other.”
Kin Phea, director of the Royal Academy of Cambodia's International Relations Institute, said that as a diplomat, Wang acted to promote and promote friendship between the countries.
Wang was doing a good job of public diplomacy that made the Cambodian people know him better and China more clearly, he said.
Phea said Wang used an engagement approach. The Chinese diplomat actively engaged with media and social media, raising awareness of the ambassador's role in promoting friendship between China and Cambodia.
In the past, some Chinese diplomats were not very active, he said, adding that Wang made people more aware of his presence and the value of friendship between the countries.
“What I’m interested in the most is that he tries to portray a good image of the country and local products to his community,” Phea said.
“His form of communication and advertising is simple and easy to understand. This is an example of a diplomat who is part of a stronger relationship between countries.”
Ky Sereyvath, director-general of the Institute of China Studies at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said Ambassador Wang had an ambition to improve Cambodia-China relations amid a controversy over a Chinese-made movie with a plot that includes Cambodian involvement in human trafficking and online crime.
“I think that he is trying to promote Chinese tourists to Cambodia and Cambodian tourists to China,” he said.
Hope for Other Ambassadors’ Action
Kin Phea said he wanted to see other Chinese diplomats actively engage with Cambodian diplomats to foster understanding, as Cambodia has a better understanding of China than China has of Cambodia.
“We want to see more understanding and learning between the ambassadors based in Cambodia and contribute to the dissemination of information from Cambodia to the people and their country to get closer between the people and people,” he said.
During his tenure, Phea said the ambassador will strengthen relations between China and Cambodia, fostering better understanding and cooperation in politics, economics, trade, investment, tourism and mutual understanding.