Cambodian deputy PM praises Chinese help in development

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong speaks at a reception celebrating the 69th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Sept. 25, 2018. Cambodia's remarkable progress today could not be achieved without China's help and support, Hor Namhong said here on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Phearum)

Cambodia's remarkable progress today could not be achieved without China's help and support, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong said here on Tuesday.

Namhong made the remarks during a reception celebrating the 69th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

He said the two countries elevated bilateral relations to the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation in 2010, deepening all rounds of cooperation for mutual interests.

"Under the framework of comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation, the Chinese government has provided huge support to Cambodia with grant aid and concessional loans to help Cambodia's infrastructure construction," the deputy prime minister said.

He said nearly 3,000 km of roads and seven bridges had been built, and seven hydro-power plants had been launched and effectively reduced the cost of electricity in Cambodia.

Namhong said the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative was of great significance to the development of Cambodia's infrastructure, economy, trade, tourism, culture and people-to-people bond.

He said the Chinese-invested mega-projects in Cambodia such as the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone, the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway and the new Siem Reap international airport were the results of the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative.

The deputy prime minister said the influx of Chinese tourists to the Southeast Asian nation had importantly contributed to economic development and poverty reduction, adding that the country was expected to attract 1.8 million Chinese holidaymakers this year, up from 1.2 million last year. In the improvement of rural people's livelihood, China had helped build hundreds of wells in rural Cambodia.

Organized by the Chinese Embassy to Cambodia, the reception was attended by some 300 people who are Cambodian government officials, royal members, senior military officers, politicians, foreign diplomats and Chinese business people, among others.

In his welcoming speech, Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Xiong Bo highly valued good cooperation between the two countries in the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, and in strengthening practical cooperation in various fields such as infrastructure, industrial parks, tourism, education, and people-to-people exchange.

We stand ready to continue to expand and to deepen coordination and cooperation in international and regional affairs with Cambodia, to jointly safeguard the regional peace, stability and development, and to jointly build a community of shared future, he said.

Editor: Wang Shixue