On visit to Beijing, Cambodia’s Hun Sen meets China’s Xi

BEIJING (AP) — Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on a visit to his close ally. No details were immediately released of the meeting Friday that comes in the middle of Hun Sen’s three-day visit. Cambodia is a key Chinese diplomatic partner, helping dampen criticism of Beijing within the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Hun Sen took power in 1998, and with strong Chinese backing has eliminated all democratic threats to his rule and muzzled the press. In return, China has gained an outsized role in Cambodian politics and the economy. In June, China and Cambodia broke ground on a naval port expansion project. Hun Sen is also due to meet with outgoing Premier Li Keqiang.