February 13, 2023
PHNOM PENH – Cambodia and China are set to look into developing an “Industrial and Technological Corridor” to support the conversion of coastal Preah Sihanouk province into a model multi-purpose special economic zone, which has been likened to a ‘second Shenzhen’.
This was highlighted in an eight-page joint statement on building a new-era Cambodia-China community of common destiny.
The statement said the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone and Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway are significant draws for Chinese businesses to invest in the Kingdom and explore opportunities for partnerships in transport infrastructure, electricity, fibre optic networks, warehousing and logistics that could increase the effectiveness of efforts to synergise overall Sino-Cambodian cooperation.
Cambodia and China have agreed to deepen cooperation and harmonise strategies linked to the former’s Rectangular Strategy and latter’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to ensure the safety of projects and workers, as well as to take better advantage of Sino-Cambodian working mechanisms concerning investment cooperation and production capacity, it said.
Meanwhile, at a February 10 meeting with Prime Minister Hun Sen, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang hailed Cambodia’s accomplishments during its journey to build national stability, prosperity and expand its influence on the international stage.
Li suggested that Cambodia and China develop production capacity, strengthen strategic cooperation, and harmonise the Rectangular Strategy and BRI.