Liu Jianchao (left) meets with Prime Minister Hun Sen on August 24. SPM
A senior politician serving on the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) said he was surprised to see how much Cambodia has developed 18 years after his first visit to the Kingdom, while also expressing his government’s commitment to furthering bilateral trade and economic-related cooperation.
Liu Jianchao, director of the CPC’s International Liaison Department, visited the Kingdom and met with Prime Minister Hun Sen at the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) headquarters in Phnom Penh’s Chamkarmon district on August 24.
Liu recalled during the meeting that he first visited Cambodia 18 years ago in 2004.
“Cambodia has developed a great deal. The whole kingdom is beautiful. The economy has grown. Urban areas have developed. The people look happy. And the nation’s role on the international stage is now one to be reckoned with and respected ... Cambodia is a role model for other developing countries,” Liu was quoted as saying in Hun Sen’s social media post.
He also said that China would continue to deepen economic cooperation with Cambodia in order to serve the needs of the people, and especially to drive the country’s agricultural produce export to Chinese markets. He added China would increase its number of direct flights to Cambodia and encourage Chinese investments in the Kingdom, while also assisting the country with green energy development.
Hun Sen thanked Liu for his compliments on Cambodia’s growth over the past two decades, agreeing that economic development must serve the needs of the people.
“[Hun Sen] thanked [Liu] and welcomed the expansion of cooperation between the two countries, especially on trade, agriculture, investment, tourism and green energy,” the post said.
Heng Kimkong, a visiting senior research fellow at the Cambodia Development Centre, said it is great that China is willing to support Cambodia in developing its green energy sector.
“Cambodia needs to promote sustainable development, and development of green energy is a first step in the right direction toward renewable energy and a sustainable green economy,” he told The Post on August 24.
