PHNOM PENH, Cambodia, April 30 (NNN-AKP) – Cambodian Prime Minister, Samdech Techo Hun Sen’s attendance at the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) in Beijing, further enhanced Cambodia-China ties and international cooperation, said a Cambodian official and academics on Monday.
Hun Sen returned home on Monday afternoon, after taking part in the second BRF from April 25 to 27, and in the opening ceremony of the International Horticultural Exhibition on April 28, in Beijing.
“It was a successful trip that has brought a lot of benefits to Cambodia,” Kao Kim Hourn, a minister attached to the Cambodian prime minister, said.
“The prime minister’s participation in the second BRF has strengthened and expanded cooperation between Cambodia and China in particular, and between Cambodia and other BRI participating countries in general,” he said.
Kim Hourn said, the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) provided tremendous opportunities for Cambodia to develop the infrastructure, to promote international cooperation, to attract investments, and to seek new markets for its products.
In Beijing, Hun Sen also met with Chinese leaders, he said, adding that, a number of cooperation documents were signed by officials of the two countries.
Mey Kalyan, chairman of the Cambodia Development Resource Institute, said, it was an excellent gesture that Cambodia was invited to this important BRF, along with many other countries.
He said, the BRF discussed many issues relevant to Cambodia, including quality infrastructure, environment, inclusiveness, anti-corruption, people-to-people bonds, involvement of local people in BRI projects, and assistance to elevate technical skills for the Cambodian people.
“All these elements, which have been weak in the past, are very beneficial to the real development in Cambodia,” he said.
Joseph Matthews, a senior professor at the Beltei International University in Phnom Penh, said, China’s development assistance and investment projects in Cambodia have so far concentrated on hard infrastructure and labour-intensive industry.
He said, digital economy is the future economic sector of Cambodia, and key challenges facing Cambodia to realise a full-fledged digital economy are, the lack of human resources, digital infrastructure, and public and private investment in innovation and entrepreneurship.– NNN-AKP
