Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - China’s Xi announced $44M grant to Kingdom

China’s Xi announced $44M grant to Kingdom

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
Prime Minister Hun Sen (left) shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the meeting on February 10. AKP

China’s Xi announced $44M grant to Kingdom

Chinese President Xi Jinping on February 10 announced a 300 million yuan ($44 million) grant package to support the Kingdom’s railway ambitions, which are expected to improve the livelihoods of many Cambodians, according to National Television of Cambodia (TVK).

This comes during a meeting between Xi and Prime Minister Hun Sen on the second day of his February 9-11 visit to China.

According to TVK, the two leaders agreed at the meeting to foster a “diamond-” like cooperation, pushing bilateral relations to a “new peak”, with Xi thanking Hun Sen for his public declaration that, “if I don't rely on China, who would I rely on?”

China’s assistance has driven progress of Cambodia, and consolidated the Kingdom’s sovereignty, the premier said.

Both leaders lauded the Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement which entered into force on January 1, 2022, improving market access to China for Cambodian agricultural and fisheries products.

They hailed their bilateral relations, which have been lifted from a “comprehensive cooperation” to an “ironclad friendship” and a “community of common destiny” underpinned by mutual cooperation.

TVK said Xi and Hun Sen pledged to promote the building of a “community of common destiny”, with a focus in six priority areas: politics and diplomacy; textiles and production; agriculture; energy; security; and improvements in the Cambodian health sector as well as people-to-people relations.

Xi voiced support for Cambodia's stance and policy on its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and expressed interest in agricultural and aquacultural development in the environs of the Tonle Sap Lake.

Hun Sen welcomed Xi's initiative to establish a “Fish and Rice Corridor” in northwestern Cambodia, commenting that the region was earmarked as an additional “economic pole”.

“The prime minister asked the president to encourage more Chinese tourists to … fearlessly travel to Cambodia,” TVK said, adding that the leaders agreed to foster cooperation on electricity generation, particularly on projects with an eco-friendly focus.

Hun Sen largely credited Cambodia’s economic recovery to China’s vaccine donations, reflecting on the potential tragedy that may have occurred otherwise, after the Kingdom “reopened” on November 1, with the government moving to allow for the resumption of economic activity.

Cambodian state news agency Agence Kampuchea Presse (AKP) mentioned that Hun Sen was Xi’s “first foreign guest” after the Lunar New Year.

MOST VIEWED

  • 12th Cambodia int’l film festival to see return of Hollywood star

    Phnom Penh is set to come alive with the magic of cinema as the highly anticipated 12th Cambodia International Film Festival (CIFF) takes centre stage. Boasting an impressive line-up of 188 films from 23 countries, including captivating shorts, feature films, documentaries and animation, the festival promises an

  • Brawl marrs football final as Indonesian take gold in seven goal thriller

    The Indonesian men's U22 men national football team were crowned champions of the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia, defeating Thailand 5-2 in extra time on May 16 at Olympic National Stadium in Phnom Penh. The match was marred by an ugly incident that occured in the 91

  • Bareknuckle champion wants Kun Khmer fighter

    Dave Leduc, who is the current openweight Lethwei boxing champion in Myanmar, has announced that he will travel to Cambodia this year to challenge SEA Games gold medallist Prum Samnang any time that is convenient, after their planned match later this month in Slovakia was

  • Candlelight Party disqualified from July general election

    The National Election Committee (NEC) has disqualified the Candlelight Party (CP) from contesting the upcoming general election, citing a lack of valid documentation. NEC spokesman Khorn Keomono said the CP failed to fulfil one of the three main requirements: including original documentation proving their registration

  • Thong Khon calls for orderly SEA Games closing ceremony

    Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism and permanent vice-president of the Cambodia SEA Games Organising Committee (CAMSOC), calls on all people who have received tickets to the May 17 closing ceremony of the biennial multi-sports extravaganza at the Morodok Techo National Stadium to ensure that the event

  • 1.4 billion dollar Phnom Penh-Bavet expressway due in four years

    The Government, through the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, has officially signed a public-private partnership agreement with a private company for the construction of a Phnom Penh-Bavet Expressway project that will connect the capital to Svay Rieng province. The budget for the project is