Cambodia has for 22 years remained resolutely determined to work closely with other ASEAN member states and build a regional community that focuses on the people and puts them at its core in a spirit of ownership and responsibility.

Prime Minister Hun Sen made the remark in an April 30 Facebook post on the occasion of the 22nd anniversary of Cambodia's entry into ASEAN, recalling the efforts made by the Kingdom to secure a seat in the bloc.

Taking what he described as a tough-but-gentle diplomatic approach in its accession process, Cambodia was officially admitted into ASEAN as the 10th member at a summit in Hanoi, Vietnam on April 30, 1999, he said.

The prime minister said ASEAN is at the core of Cambodian foreign policy and is reflected in the incorporation of the Kingdom's political and socio-economic development into regional integration measures and international cooperation.

“Becoming a member of ASEAN is a diplomatic success for Cambodia, marked by the strengthening of its potential and expansion of increasingly active roles in the region,” Hun Sen said.