Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday sent a congratulatory message to Norodom Sihamoni on the 15th anniversary of his enthronement as the king of Cambodia.

Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni waves from a car during the celebration marking the 64th anniversary of the country's independence from France, in Phnom Penh, on November 9, 2017. [File Photo: VCG/Reuters/Samrang Pring]

In the message, Xi said that since Sihamoni's enthronement, the king has made important contributions to maintaining national unity and promoting national development, and has been deeply loved by Cambodian people.

Since China and Cambodia established diplomatic ties more than 60 years ago, the two peoples have always been sticking together through thick and thin and watching out for each other, and forged a deep friendship, Xi said.

Xi said he is willing to work together with Sihamoni under new historical conditions to carry on the China-Cambodia traditional friendship, elevate their strategic cooperation and push for continuous new results in the effort to build the China-Cambodia community with a shared future, so as to benefit the two countries and peoples.