China Inks $215 Million Deal with Cambodia for Infrastructure Development

By Soy Sophea

The Royal Government of Cambodia and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) have signed on four agreements. These understandings were created during an official visit to strengthen bilateral relations and commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of diplomatic links between the two nations - 1958-2008.

Jia Qinglin, Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen presided over the signing ceremony that was held December 3, in Phnom Penh.

The agreements promise effective exchanges and cooperation in the political arena, the economy and trade, cultural exchanges and a range of other bilateral activities, according to Cambodian Government Spokesman Khieu Kanharith, speaking to reporters after the signing ceremony.
China and Cambodia are the friendliest of neighbors, a relationship made stronger by the passage of time, according to Khieu Kanharith, Minister of Information and Cambodian Government spokesman. These sentiments were a repeat of those expressed to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen by the leader of the Chinese delegation.

The Information Minister Kanharith said, “Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China-Cambodia friendship has grown from strength to strength, adding China intends to increase their stake in the Cambodian Investment Industry by $1,000 million by 2010 or earlier”.

He quoted the Prime Minister Hun Sen as saying the Cambodian government attaches great importance to its friendly relations with China and will work with the Chinese side to expand bilateral exchanges and cooperation in various fields and strengthen coordination and support in international affairs.

The Prime Minister said that China's development will not only benefit itself, but also contribute to peace and development of the region and the world at large, said the Premier. He added that the Chinese delegation’s visit marks a conclusion to Chairman Jia's four-nation visit which has taken him to Jordan, Turkey and Laos.

Responding to the Cambodian Prime Minister, Jia said that China will work with Cambodia to promote bilateral good-neighborliness, friendship and reciprocal cooperation to a new stage. He made a three-point proposal for furthering bilateral cooperation.

The first is to expand economic and trade cooperation to bring mutual benefit. The two sides should make a joint effort if early realization of an annual bilateral trade volume of one billion U.S. dollars is to be reached by 2010. The Chinese side supports cooperation in its various forms between enterprises of both sides and hopes the Cambodian side will provide facilities for bilateral cooperation.The second is to strengthen cooperation in other fields such as culture, education, tourism and health, and expand exchanges between young people of the two countries.

The third is to enhance contacts between political parties of the two countries.Jia, who arrived in Cambodia on December 2 to make an official goodwill visit, said the invitation was made by the Cambodian Senate President Chea Sim. He said in the statement upon in his arrival that Sino-Cambodian friendship was based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence and conforms to the aspirations and fundamental interests of the two peoples.He said that China's policy on the development of bilateral friendship, which is part of China's foreign policy, will not change. He also added that China appreciates Cambodia's adherence to the one-China policy.