Phnom Penh, April 26, 2019 –China’s “Belt and Road” initiative has brought a lot of benefits for the social, economic and cultural development of Cambodia.
Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen made the comment in his address at the opening ceremony of the 2nd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held in Beijing, China this morning under the theme “Belt and Road Cooperation: Shaping a Brighter Shared Future”.
The success of Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone, a big investment from China in Cambodia, which houses 161 companies, of which 148 are Chinese, generating more than 20,000 jobs for the locals, and the construction of Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway are the evidence of the two countries’ cooperation under the “Belt and Road” initiative, he pointed out.
Samdech Techo Hun Sen was convinced that based on the spirit of joint efforts, shared benefits and same opportunities, the “Belt and Road” initiative will not negatively affect any country. “As a sovereign state, we have the right and choice to decide what we want and the type of financing we need and implement those projects based on the strengthening of ownership and leadership of its own national development,” he underlined.
The Cambodian Premier also highlighted the fruitful achievements of the “Belt and Road” initiative in the past six years in boosting regional and global cooperation in terms of hard and soft infrastructure, economy, trade, investment, cultural exchange, people-to-people connectivity, and so on.
Samdech Techo Hun Sen expressed his strong belief that the “Belt and Road” initiative has been creating a new driving force to continue tightening and expanding cooperation among countries in the region and the world for the cause of security, peace, harmony, prosperity and sustainable development. by C. Nika
