On October 30, 2005, as entrusted by President Hu Jintao and Premier of the State Council Wen Jiabao, State Councillor Tang Jiaxuan paid a special visit to Former Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk and his wife Monineath, who were here in Beijing for routine physical examination. Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni attended the meeting.

Tang conveyed benediction and cordial greetings from Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao for Sihanouk's 83rd birthday. Tang appreciated that Sihanouk is an old friend deeply respected by the Chinese people and has made remarkable contributions to developing bilateral relations. Tang indicated that China would like to as always make joint efforts with Cambodia to further carry forward bilateral traditional friendship and continuously upgrade the cooperative relations of good-neighborly friendship between both sides to a new level. It is believed that under the leadership of King Sihamoni, Cambodia will surely make greater achievements in realizing national peace, stability and developmemt.

Sihanouk thanked Tang for making a special trip to congratulate him on behalf of President Hu and Premier Wen on the occasion of his 83rd birthday. Sihanouk noted that China is his second homeland and since the 1970s, he has established sincere friendship with the older generations of Chinese leaderships. The traditional friendship the Chinese government and people have extended to himself and the Cambodian people is forever cherishable. Sihanouk thanked the Chinese government and people for offering strong support and disinterested assistance in Cambodia's efforts to safeguard state sovereighty and territorial integrity and develop national economy for a long period of time.