BEIJING (Reuters) - China defended its ties with Cambodia's Khmer Rouge regime saying it was part of normal diplomatic relations, as a trial began Tuesday in Phnom Penh of the group's chief torturer.
The Khmer Rouge are blamed for the deaths of 1.7 million people during their 1975-79 reign of terror in which many of their victims were tortured and executed. The rest died of disease, starvation or exhaustion.
"For a long time China has ... had normal and friendly relations with previous Cambodian governments, including that of Democratic Kampuchea," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu, referring to the former Khmer Rouge government.
"As everyone knows, the government of Democratic Kampuchea had a legal seat at the United Nations, and had established broad foreign relations with more than 70 countries," she told a regular news conference.
Kaing Guek Eav, known as Duch and ex-commandant of the notorious S-21 prison, went on trial for crimes against humanity Tuesday, the first case involving a senior cadre three decades after the end of the Khmer Rouge regime.
Duch has admitted atrocities at S-21, the former school where up to 14,000 "enemies of the revolution" were tortured before being beaten to death in the "Killing Fields" outside Phnom Penh.
China had close relations with the Khmer Rouge and its leader Pol Pot. Beijing, still a major donor and investor in Cambodia, has pledged no money to the court, but has taken no active steps to block the trial.
"The trial of former Democratic Kampuchean leaders is an internal political matter for Cambodia," Jiang said. "We hope international society can respect the choices of the Cambodian government and people."
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Nick Macfie and Sanjeev Miglani)
The Khmer Rouge are blamed for the deaths of 1.7 million people during their 1975-79 reign of terror in which many of their victims were tortured and executed. The rest died of disease, starvation or exhaustion.
"For a long time China has ... had normal and friendly relations with previous Cambodian governments, including that of Democratic Kampuchea," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu, referring to the former Khmer Rouge government.
"As everyone knows, the government of Democratic Kampuchea had a legal seat at the United Nations, and had established broad foreign relations with more than 70 countries," she told a regular news conference.
Kaing Guek Eav, known as Duch and ex-commandant of the notorious S-21 prison, went on trial for crimes against humanity Tuesday, the first case involving a senior cadre three decades after the end of the Khmer Rouge regime.
Duch has admitted atrocities at S-21, the former school where up to 14,000 "enemies of the revolution" were tortured before being beaten to death in the "Killing Fields" outside Phnom Penh.
China had close relations with the Khmer Rouge and its leader Pol Pot. Beijing, still a major donor and investor in Cambodia, has pledged no money to the court, but has taken no active steps to block the trial.
"The trial of former Democratic Kampuchean leaders is an internal political matter for Cambodia," Jiang said. "We hope international society can respect the choices of the Cambodian government and people."
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Nick Macfie and Sanjeev Miglani)
4 comments:
"The trial of former Democratic Kampuchean leaders is an internal political matter for Cambodia," Jiang said. "We hope international society can respect the choices of the Cambodian government and people."
Internal political matter my arse.....if the Chinese are so righteous about this then why did they help the Khmer Rouge during the war with the Lon Nol......you stick your nose where you shouldn't be....why don't you cook and eat that fat sihanouk....
She is right about the diplomatic relationship with the KR Government. However, everybody knew that there were only Chinese experts could wander around the country without obstacles during that rule. They knew fucking damn well that Khmers were dying. Did they do something about it? It never happened! They are just the same killer. They killed their own chineses more than KR did to Khmers. You are just murderer bustard alike. Cambodia is a very poor nation, which is colonised and dominated by all super power members, except England. It is better to have Western boss rather than communist murderers. You know what making Khmers happy are the dragon dance on the street and the paramid-form Duon hate in Cambodia.
The worst thing that can happen when a leader dies is for his followers to lose thier inspiration and carry on like robots.Yes! be honest there Four Country around Cambodia,China,Vientam,Thailand and Lao.Do not care what is happening inside the Kingdom of Cambodia,Do you think killing and War is the answer all purpose of life?...Please think again!!
I love my people and the Kingdom of Cambodia,Please give my people hope for their future.
If you voted for CPP (Cambodian People's Party):
Also known as:
Communist People's Party
Khmer Rouge People's Party
Khmer Krorhorm People's Party
You're support the killing of 1.7 million innocent Khmer peoples.
You're support the killing of innocent men, women and children in Cambodia on March 30, 1997.
You're support murder of Piseth Pilika.
You're support assassination of journalists in Cambodia.
You're support political assassination and killing.
You're support attemted assassination and murder of leader of the free trade union in Cambodia.
You're support corruption in Cambodia.
You're support Hun Sen Regime burn poor people's house down to the ground and leave them homeless.
These are the Trade Mark of Hun Sen Regime.
Hun Sen, Chea Sim and Heng Samrin are Khmer Rouge commanders.
When is the ECCC going to bring these three criminals to U.N. Khmer Rouge Trail?
Khmer Rouge Regime is a genocide organization.
Hun Sen Regime is a terrorist organization.
Hun Sen Bodyguards is a terrorist organization.
Hun Sen Death Squad is a terrorist organization.
Cambodian People's Party is a terrorist organization.
I have declare the current Cambodian government which is lead by the Cambodian People's Party as a terrorist organization.
Whoever associate with the current Cambodian government are associate with a terrorist organization.
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