China ready to enhance relations with Cambodia as US fumes

Dec 21, 2009, 12:44 GMT

Phnom Penh - Visiting Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping on Monday talked of enhanced relations with Cambodia, days after the Phnom Penh government expelled 20 Uighur asylum seekers sparking outrage among human rights groups and the US government.

In talks with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Xi said China was willing to enhance cooperation with Cambodia in various fields and push bilateral relations to a higher level so as to bring more benefits to the two peoples, officials said.

For its part, Cambodia was willing to enhance all-round cooperation with China, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An said.

Phnom Penh demonstrated that willingness to oblige Beijing when it deported 20 Uighur asylum seekers back to China on Saturday night, the eve of Xi's arrival.

The deportation outraged the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, human rights groups and the US embassy in Phnom Penh.

'On December 19, the Royal Government of Cambodia, at the request of China, forcibly removed a group of 20 Uighur asylum seekers back to China in apparent violation of Cambodia's international obligations,' the US embassy said in a statement released in Phnom Penh.

It expressed concerns for the welfare of the Uighurs, whom the UNHCR fears could face torture in their homeland.

'The United States strongly opposed Cambodia's involuntary return of these asylum seekers before their claims have been heard. This incident will affect Cambodia's relationship with the US and its international standing,' said the US statement.

The Cambodian government has claimed the 20 Uighurs had entered the country illegally and thus must be deported.

'There was nothing wrong with the deportation of 20 Uighurs from Cambodia back to China,' said Foreign Ministry spokesman Kuy Kong.

'Cambodia was only implementing the migration law of 1994,' he added, refusing to comment on the US embassy statement.

During his three-day visit in Cambodia, Chinese Vice President Xi is scheduled to sign agreements on 14 different projects with Cambodia including for the restoration of Takeo temple and provide a loan of 50 million yuan for a road construction project.