March 31, 2022
PHNOM PENH – Prime Minister Hun Sen has called on Chinese tech giant Huawei to continue to cooperate with the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications on training the local workforce and help Cambodia procure the latest technology to ensure cyber security and competition.
Hun Sen made the remarks during a working meeting with Lin Baifeng, Huawei’s Asia-Pacific chief, at the Peace Palace last week, said a statement posted to the premier’s official Facebook page.
Lin said that over the more than 23 years that Huawei has been present in Cambodia, the use of information technology (IT) in the Kingdom has progressed rapidly, especially since the advent of Covid-19, according to the statement.
He added that Huawei asks for Hun Sen’s support to accelerate progress in the sector, through human resource development, supply of state-of-the-art tech, and establishment of infrastructure to connect IT networks and link people to people in a “secure and sovereign” manner.
Lin also provided Hun Sen with equipment such as 100 videoconferencing endpoints and 500 computers.
The premier expressed appreciation for Huawei for providing Cambodia with equipment for its fight against Covid-19 as well as the latest assemblage.
Hun Sen also encouraged Lin to keep working with the Cambodian authorities to help develop the local IT sector.
“I would like to encourage Lin Baifeng to carry on with cooperation with Minister of Post and Telecommunications Chea Vandeth, to continue helping to train the workforce and ensuring that Cambodia has access to the latest technology that guarantees information security and sovereignty, and global competitiveness,” he said.
Cambodia Digital Tech Association president Chhin Ken told The Post on March 29 that the digital technology space plays an increasingly important role in socio-economic activities, especially in the Covid era.
He described Huawei’s contributions as “very important and necessary” in the process of technological development in Cambodia, noting that the company not only develops and manufactures mobile phones, but also many other high-tech applications and devices.
“Huawei’s contributions will not only provide Cambodia with means of communication, but will also be an important driver of Cambodia’s digital economy,” Ken said.
According to the Cambodian Ministry of Commerce, in 2021, bilateral trade between Cambodia and China topped $11.14 billion, up by 37.28 per cent over $8.11807 billion in 2020.
Last year, Cambodian exports were to the tune of about $1.51 billion, surging by 39 per cent year-on-year from $1.08626 billion, and imports were around $9.63 billion, up by 37 per cent over $7.03181 billion.