A family letter reflects the enduring bond of China and Cambodia

"Dear younger brother, since you've been away for years and we haven't been in touch, I don't know how things are going. I trust the whole family is safe, happy, and everything is going smoothly… All your brothers and sisters back home are well. Wishing you good health."

Inside the home of Hong Sereiparinha, also known by his Chinese name Hong Zhihao, a young man from Cambodia, Global Times reporters read a heartfelt letter sent from his hometown Jieyang, South China's Guangdong Province. In its lines, they saw the profound friendship rooted in history and people-to-people connections between China and Cambodia.

Jieyang is Hong's ancestral hometown. His great-grandparents brought his grandfather - then just six years old - to Cambodia in search of a better life. Although he is a fourth-generation Chinese Cambodian, 26-year-old Hong speaks fluent Putonghua. He told Global Times reporters that he speaks Teochew dialect at home, and began learning Putonghua since middle school. He later studied in the Chinese Department of the Royal University of Phnom Penh, and now works at the Cambodian Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

Hong's home is adorned with traditional Chinese calligraphy artworks featuring phrases like "Ma Dao Cheng Gong (Success upon arrival)" "Cai Yuan Gun Gun (Wealth flows in)," and "Fu (Good fortune)." Hong also showed reporters the carefully preserved family letters - they not only reflect the deep familial bond, but also symbolize the profound ties between the two countries.
One letter, written by the cousin of Hong's grandfather, caught the reporters' attention with the words "People's Daily Overseas Edition." It read: Dear Cousin, Jieyang has become a newly established city, with rapidly developing infrastructure and convenient transportation. The People's Daily Overseas Edition reported that Jieyang is a gem for foreign investors. In just over a year since becoming a city, foreign investments have reached $1.5 billion. Please visit your hometown Jieyang, do some sightseeing, and perhaps discuss some business. Wishing peace in both places. Your cousin."

Hong said he was amazed that in an era with limited communication tools, people still found ways through letters to stay informed about China's economic developments. He added that, "The letter mentions Jieyang's rapid growth and the influx of foreign investment. The invitation to 'discuss business while visiting' was probably a way of seeking out business opportunities."

In November 2020, Hong Zhihao won first prize in the 10th "Jiangsu Cup" Chinese Speech Contest and Chinese Talent Competition organized by the Confucius Institute at the Royal Academy of Cambodia. As a reward, he was offered a one-week educational visit in East China's Jiangsu Province. The trip was delayed until 2023 due to the pandemic.

Hong recalled visiting Nanjing, Suzhou, and Shanghai. "We sampled dishes like Shizitou (Lion's Head, a traditional Chinese dish featuring braised pork meatballs), and osmanthus cake, and visited places like the Nanjing Confucius Temple, Suzhou classical gardens, and the Bund."

"What impressed me most," Hong said, "was the rapid rise of China's high-tech industries. I hope to return to China for further study and bring advanced knowledge and technologies back to Cambodia, to help my country grow stronger."