Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived Friday, kicking off a state visit aimed at enhancing the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation between China and Cambodia.

During the visit, Hu will meet Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, Senate President Chea Sim, National Assembly President Heng Samrin, and Prime Minister Hun Sen.

The two sides are expected to discuss ways to enhance the partnership, and exchange views on major world and regional issues of mutual concern.

Chinese officials said the two countries would sign a host of cooperation documents and issue a joint statement during Hu's visit.

The two neighbors have enjoyed a long history of friendly relations. They established diplomatic ties in 1958, and the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation in 2010.

In recent years, China and Cambodia have maintained frequent high-level exchanges, strengthened mutual political trust and boosted substantial cooperation in all areas.

Two-way trade between the two countries increased to 2.49 billion U.S. dollars in 2011 from 1.44 billion dollars in 2010.

Cambodia holds the presidency of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2012 and plays an important role in East Asian cooperation and China-ASEAN relations.

"China believes President Hu's visit will further promote the traditional China-Cambodia friendship, deepen bilateral pragmatic cooperation, plan the future of bilateral ties, enhance the comprehensive strategic partnership and push forward China-ASEAN relations and regional cooperation," Luo Zhaohui, a Chinese diplomat, said earlier this month.

Hu flew into the Cambodian capital from New Delhi after attending a meeting of the world's top emerging economies - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - the group known as BRICS.

Before that, he participated in the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit in the South Korean capital.