Finance ministry spokesperson Meas Soksensan has rejected claims by a foreign media outlet that China has suspended loans to Cambodia. FB
Days after a Reuters report suggested that China, as Cambodia’s “top creditor”, had stopped providing loans to the Kingdom, a senior official from the Ministry of Economy and Finance dismissed the claims as “misleading and ridiculous”.
A Reuters article published on December 11 noted that China did not approve any loans to Cambodia in 2024, citing third-quarter data from the Kingdom’s finance ministry.
The report speculated that China’s decision might be tied to “caution over failed infrastructure projects” in Cambodia. The article cited the Funan Techo Canal as an example. The outlet has previously alleged that the ambitious project has lost Chinese support.
According to Reuters, Cambodia’s current debt stands at $11.6 billion. The agency noted that between January and September 2024, no loans were approved by China, in contrast to the same period in 2023, when China approved $212 million in loans for Cambodia.
Meas Soksensan, spokesperson for the finance ministry, responded on December 14, stating that Cambodia and China are currently engaged in multiple joint projects, with many more in the planning stages. He described the report that China had stopped providing loans as “laughable”.
“Regarding the circulated information that China has stopped providing loans or similar claims, I find it laughable. These projects are still under feasibility studies, with assessments being conducted on both their economic and social impacts,” he said.
“Concrete agreements will be signed soon. Yet, there are claims that we haven’t received any loans. I think this is a clear case of misleading the public, which may cause unnecessary confusion,” he added.
Soksensan emphasised the strong ties between Cambodia and China, highlighting recent high-level visits, including trips to China by Senate president Hun Sen and foreign minister Prak Sokhonn, as well as recent visits to Cambodia by senior Chinese officials and investors who were here to discuss many investments project in Cambodia.
He concluded that the claims made in the Reuters report are not reflective of the reality of Cambodia-China relations or their ongoing cooperation on multiple development projects.
