On November 6–7, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet attended the Greater Mekong Subregion Cooperation summit in Kunming, China, along with a series of other key meetings. Amid the summit sessions, the Prime Minister had a friendly, half-hour conversation with Chen Xuemei, the chairwoman of Zhengzhou Chen's Sun Fruit and Vegetable Trade Co., Ltd. (Chen's Sun), who is widely recognized as the "Queen of fruits". The Prime Minister also shared their meeting on social media, expressing his admiration for Chen's Sun and Chen herself.
Engaging in conversation with a prime minister, earning praise, and showcasing Henan's entrepreneurial spirit on a global platform—Chen Xuemei truly exemplifies excellence.
On November 10, reporters from Henan International Communication Center interviewed Chen upon her return to Henan, sharing the story of her warm chat with the Cambodian Prime Minister.
A friendly meeting between the Prime Minister and the "Queen of fruits"
At 8:30 a.m. on November 6, as Chen entered the reception room, she was greeted by Prime Minister Hun Manet's warm smile and extended hand. Chen remarked on how the Prime Minister's sincerity and enthusiasm were palpable during their handshake.
At the end of April, Chen had visited Cambodia as part of a provincial government delegation, where she met with Cambodian Minister of Tourism Sok Soken but was unable to meet Prime Minister Hun Manet due to schedule conflict, which she had always felt regretful about. "I briefly reviewed that visit and expressed to the Prime Minister how pleased I was to finally meet him," Chen's words immediately set a relaxed and harmonious tone for their conversation.
Chen's Sun, a global leader in high-quality fruit supply chains, sources from over 120 premium fruit bases across 40 countries. The company adheres to strict international standards at each stage of the supply process—cultivation, harvesting, sorting, grading, refrigeration, packaging, and logistics—ensuring top-quality fruit for consumers. Prime Minister Hun Manet expressed particular interest in Chen's Sun model, recognizing its potential to complement Cambodia's fruit industry and drive further advancements. He highlighted Cambodia's policy advantages and shared his vision for deepening cooperation, with the aim of strengthening ties with Chen Sun and expanding their partnership.
As their exchange deepened and both sides found common ground, their meeting proved to be a resounding success.
"I also shared my entrepreneurial journey and family background, which delighted the Prime Minister—he laughed warmly several times," Chen Xuemei recalled. She noted that Prime Minister Hun Manet's maturity, calm demeanor, and friendly nature made him easy to talk to, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. In just half an hour, the conversation smoothly shifted from work to personal life, from cooperation details to family stories. What began as a formal business meeting on the international stage transformed into a warm, almost family-like gathering.
From Henan to Cambodia: Six Years of "People-to-People Friendship"
In a remarkable way, Battambang Province in northwest Cambodia is forging close ties with Henan, more than 2,000 kilometers away.
Chen Xuemei told reporters that her company has leased over 2,500 mu (1 mu is equal to 666.67 square meters) of orchards in Cambodiawhich are currently under infrastructure construction, and plans to cultivate "Henan durian" in Cambodia by utilizing funds, technology, and equipment from Henan.
The friendship between nations is built on connections between people. Hun Manet's warm meeting with Chen Xuemei not only underscores his support for industrial development but also highlights his appreciation of "people-to-people friendship".
The connection between Chen's Sun and Cambodia started in 2018 when Chen Xuemei joined a trade delegation organized by the Department of Commerce of Henan Province. During that visit, she discovered a wealth of opportunities. "Cambodia offers a very favorable business environment and is welcoming and friendly toward Chinese merchants. The climate is ideal, and there's an abundance of high-quality fruit," Chen said. Since then, Chen Sun has been engaged in trade with Cambodia, importing premium Cambodian mangoes, longans, and durians to Henan and are then distributed across China. This trade enriches fruit supplies for Chinese consumers while supporting industrial development in Cambodia and boosting incomes for local fruit farmers.
Henan's provincial leadership places a high priority on international trade, supporting entrepreneurs in their efforts to "go global". Chen's Sun is encouraged to expand the international cooperation of its fruit import business.
With that encouragement, Chen's Sun began planning a durian plantation in Cambodia last year. The project has been progressing smoothly, with associated facilities, such as an agricultural industrial park, advancing rapidly.
"Meeting the Prime Minister gave me greater confidence!" said Chen Xuemei. She added that Chen's Sun will spare no effort in establishing the Cambodian durian plantation, striving to build a positive image for Henan businesses and contribute to strengthening the friendship between Henan and Cambodia.
Leveraging the Airport Advantage to Build the "Leading Entry Point" for High-End Fruits
Over the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone (ZAEZ), planes shuttle back and forth, including the charter flights for Chen's Sun high-end imported fruits.
According to Guo Lichao, director of the Port Administrationat ZAEZ, Zhengzhou Airport Port as a designated supervision site for imported fruits, handled 1,776.54 tons of imported fruits from January to September 2024, a year-on-year increase of 352%, with a total value of 54.9552 million yuan, up 163.2%.
"We have visited Chen's Sun many times, listened to itsneeds, and provided support for its import of high-end fruits," said Guo Lichao. As of now, Zhengzhou Airport has opened 54 all - cargo routes to 59 cities and added 4 new charter flight routes for fresh produce, operating 16 flights per week, covering regions such as Southeast Asia and South America. Additionally, Zhengzhou Airport has a unique advantage of "four ports linkage" system (the coordinated development of airports, land ports, seaports, and information ports), allowing rapid nationwide distribution of high-end fruits through multimodal transport methods such as "air-to-air transshipment".
"I have reported these cooperative advantages to the Prime Minister in detail," said Chen Xuemei. She also introduced to him that Henan has become a distribution hub for high-end fruits and fresh agricultural products, and Zhengzhou Airport aims to establish itself as the leading entry point forhigh-end fruits. On behalf of Henan's fruit enterprises, she extended an invitation to the Prime Minister to personally attend the upcoming event and show his support.
"The Prime Minister was delighted to accept my invitation, shaking my hand and saying 'yes, yes' repeatedly at the end of our meeting," said Chen Xuemei. She pledged to fully leverageher own advantages to make the Cambodia project a model of successful agricultural cooperation between Henan and Cambodia, and a new highlight in the growth of Henan's agricultural industry chain overseas.
