PHNOM PENH -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet met here on Wednesday with Gao Yunlong, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and chairman of the China Foundation for Peace and Development.

During the meeting, Gao said China and Cambodia are staunch friends and a community with a shared future. Practical cooperation between the two countries has yielded fruitful results in various fields since China and Cambodia established diplomatic relations 65 years ago.

He added that China is ready to work with Cambodia to further strengthen exchanges at all levels and in various fields, deepen economic and trade cooperation and boost socioeconomic development for the benefit of the people of both countries. (Cambodia-China-CPPCC-Visit)

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TOKYO -- Japan logged a customs-cleared trade deficit of 776.9 billion yen (about 5.4 billion U.S. dollars) in November, government data showed Wednesday.

Japan's exports shrank 0.2 percent from a year earlier while imports fell 11.9 percent, the Finance Ministry said in a preliminary report. (Japan-Trade Deficit)

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KUALA LUMPUR -- Economists have maintained Malaysia's full-year exports forecast despite November's fall sharper than expected.

UOB Economics and Markets Research said in a recent note that Malaysia's January to November exports performance (-7.8 percent) suggests that the full-year performance could still average around the research house's forecast of -7.2 percent for 2023. (Malaysia-Exports)

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Phatthalung, Thailand -- A China-built power transmission line project was inaugurated on Tuesday in Thailand's southern Phatthalung province after two years of construction.

The Thung Song-Songkhla 500kV Transmission Line Project, known as the Thung Song Project, is the first 500kV Transmission Line in southern Thailand. The contracted section was undertaken by Henan Electric Power Transmission & Transformation Construction, spanning 105 km from Nakhon Si Thammarat Province in southern Thailand to Phatthalung Province. (China-Thailand-Power Transmission Line)

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MANILA -- Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos on Wednesday signed into law the 5.768 trillion pesos (roughly 103 billion U.S. dollars) 2024 national budget, which aims to make the economy future-proof and sustainable while supporting its medium-term fiscal consolidation agenda.

The 2024 General Appropriations Act "details our battle plan in fighting poverty and combatting illiteracy, in producing food and ending hunger, and protecting our homes, in securing our border, treating the sick, keeping our people healthy, creating jobs, and funding livelihoods," Marcos said in a speech during the signing ceremony. (Philippines-Budget-2024)

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SYDNEY -- New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Wednesday expressed his interest in exploring part of the AUKUS agreement during his visit to Australia, but maintained his country had a "non-negotiable" nuclear-free position.

In a bilateral meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Sydney, Luxon said New Zealand was interested in exploring pillar two of the AUKUS deal with regard to the new technologies and potential opportunities the country could participate in, the Australian news channel Sky News reported. (Australia-New Zealand-AUKUS)