China’s foreign minister visits Cambodia days after incumbent premier hands off the job to his son

By Sopheng Cheang
Associated Press

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — China’s foreign minister visited Cambodia to reaffirm his country’s commitment to the southeast Asian country after its incumbent prime minister handed off the job to his son following a one-sided election last month. Wang Yi’s visit over the weekend is the first by a foreign leader since Hun Sen’s announcement days earlier that his 45-year-old son is replacing him. Hun Sen’s party sealed a landslide victory in the country’s general election after barring the main opposition group from contesting the polls. Western nations and rights groups have criticized the election. Cambodia is a key Chinese diplomatic partner, helping dampen criticism of Beijing within the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations over territorial disputes in the South China Sea.