Students learn Chinese language at the Confucius Institute of the Royal Academy of Cambodia in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, March 24, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

Cambodian civil servant Long Meikim was all ears and took good notes when a Chinese teacher taught Chinese on Monday at the Confucius Institute of the Royal Academy of Cambodia.

The 24-year-old employee at a state ministry in Phnom Penh said she was eager to master Chinese proficiency, as it would be helpful in her job and make it easy for her to communicate with Chinese people.

Meikim is among hundreds of Cambodian students taking Chinese classes at the Confucius Institute of the Royal Academy of Cambodia. After learning Chinese for four months, she can now communicate in simple situations and understand some basic vocabulary and grammar.

"The Chinese language has helped me a lot in my current job. Moreover, nowadays, many Chinese people have come to Cambodia," she told Xinhua.

Meikim said she really likes the Chinese language and culture, saying that learning Chinese would give her the possibility to gain insights into ancient and diverse cultures.

"For China, I have never been there, but I'm impressed with its modern cities with skyscrapers and beautiful scenery," she said. "The field that impressed me the most is technology. Technology in China is advanced."

Sharing her view on the current Cambodia-China ties, Meikim said cooperation in various sectors and cultural exchange has made the two countries' relations get closer, as their "ironclad" friendship has been further strengthened.

"I'm pleased to see excellent relations between Cambodia and China," she said. "I hope China will increase its investment in Cambodia in order to help further boost Cambodia's economic growth, and Chinese education will be further expanded."

Meikim said she has dreamed of studying in China since she was in high school, and she hopes that her dream will come true one day.

Rorn Chanara, a 20-year-old learner of Chinese literature at the Confucius Institute of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said the influx of Chinese investors, businesspeople, and tourists had motivated him to study Chinese.

"I think the Chinese language is good and will be useful for me in the future, helping me communicate well with Chinese people and get a proper job with a high income," he told Xinhua.

As there are many reputable Chinese enterprises operating in the Southeast Asian country, Chanara hopes that he will become an interpreter for those companies in the future when he masters Chinese proficiency.

"The Confucius Institute has greatly contributed to promoting good relations between Cambodian and Chinese people and providing Chinese education to students, allowing them to learn both Chinese literature and culture," he said.

Chanara praises China for its advanced technology, high development and good education system, saying he is also keen to study in China if possible.

Niu Li, Chinese director of the Confucius Institute of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said jointly founded by Jiujiang University in East China's Jiangxi Province and the Royal Academy of Cambodia on Dec. 22, 2009, the institute has gradually developed into one of the largest and most influential Chinese education and cultural exchange institutions in Cambodia.

"As the first Confucius Institute in Cambodia, the institute has always committed to promoting Chinese teaching, spreading Chinese culture and promoting cultural exchanges between China and Cambodia," he told Xinhua.

In the process of development in more than 10 years, it has continuously improved its teaching network, Niu said, adding that it has now covered several provinces and cities in Cambodia, with Confucius classrooms, Chinese language centers and university Chinese departments in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and Sihanoukville among others.

"Our goal is to provide high-quality Chinese education to government officials, military personnel and learners from all walks of life," he said. "The total number of registered students exceeds 130,000, and the number of people studying Chinese at the institute each year exceeds 8,000."