STORY: Joint cultural show held to celebrate 65th anniversary of Cambodia-China diplomatic ties
DATELINE: Aug. 29, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:01
LOCATION: Phnom Penh
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the show 
2. various of Cambodian DPM and Cabinet Minister Vongsey Visoth addressing the opening ceremony
3. various of Chinese ambassador addressing the opening ceremony 
4. SOUNDBITE 1 (Khmer): KEANG MOUYHEA, Audience
5. SOUNDBITE 2 (Khmer): EAN RITHYSAK, Audience

STORYLINE:

A joint cultural show was held Monday night in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Cambodia-China diplomatic relations, attracting thousands of spectators.
   
The event was performed by a troupe of Chinese artists from southwest China's Yunnan Province and a team of Cambodian artists from the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts.
   
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the show, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Cabinet Minister Vongsey Visoth said the show was a testament to the promotion of cultural and tourism exchanges between the two countries.
   
He added that China has actively engaged in the restoration and preservation of Cambodia's cultural heritage sites by providing grant aid for the restoration of the Chau Say Tevoda temple, the Ta Keo temple, and the Royal Palace of the Angkor Thom in the Angkor Archeological Park in Siem Reap province and the Preah Vihear temple in Preah Vihear province, among others.
   
Meanwhile, Visoth highlighted that the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has played an important role in boosting infrastructure connectivity, economics, trade, investment and people-to-people exchange between the two countries in a journey towards building a Cambodia-China community with a shared future.
      
Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian said amity between peoples is the key to the relationship between countries.
   
"China attaches great importance to cultural exchanges and people-to-people interactions between the two nations," he said at the opening ceremony.
   
The ambassador said over the past 65 years, China and Cambodia have helped each other and shared weal and woe.
   
"Our relationship has withstood the test of time and evolving international landscape, growing from strength to strength," Wang said. "It has become a model for jointly building a new type of international relations and building a community with a shared future for mankind."
   
During the two-hour glittering cultural show, Chinese artists presented ethnic songs and dances, while Cambodian artists performed classical blessing dance, mask dance and folk songs.
   
Each of the performances had drawn hearty rounds of applause from the audience.
   
Keang Mouyhea, a 16-year-old student at the Secondary School of Fine Arts, said it was a splendid and colorful show, as all artists are very professional and talented.
   
SOUNDBITE 1 (Khmer): KEANG MOUYHEA, Audience
"The show has helped us to know better about the unique cultures of Cambodia and China. The Chinese artists performed well together and their gestures were vivid and interesting."
   
Ean Rithysak, a 19-year-old student at the Royal University of Fine Arts, said it was his first time to see Chinese cultural show.
   
SOUNDBITE 2 (Khmer): EAN RITHYSAK, Audience
"The show not only helps promote Cambodia-China cultural ties, but also increase the people-to-people bond of friendship."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Phnom Penh.
(XHTV)