BRI unleashes Cambodia's development potential: Cambodian scholar

Thanks to the Belt and Road cooperation, Cambodia has demonstrated great development potential, according to a Cambodian scholar, who also spoke highly of China-Cambodia relations and cooperation.

This year marks the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Cambodia as well as the China-Cambodia Friendship Year. Kin Phea, director-general of the International Relations Institute of Cambodia, a think-tank under the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said that over the past 65 years, Cambodia and China have shared weal and woe and witnessed fruitful cooperation. Calling the two countries “iron brothers”, he said bilateral relations have brought huge benefits to the two countries and the two peoples.

Photo shows Kin Phea, director-general of the International Relations Institute of Cambodia, a think-tank under the Royal Academy of Cambodia. (People's Daily Online/Du Mingming)

The Action Plan of Building a China-Cambodia Community with a Shared Future signed in 2019 reflects the friendship between the two countries characterized by mutual help and support, expressed Phea. With China's help, Cambodia has won the fight against COVID-19, as China’s vaccines, medical equipment and other assistance made great contributions to Cambodia's battle against the virus. China also had a positive influence on Cambodia’s post-pandemic economic recovery, making the country's economy more resilient. All these show that Cambodia and China have overcome difficulties and marched forward together, embodying the spirit of the China-Cambodia community with a shared future.

Phea believes that Cambodia-China economic and trade relations carry great significance for both countries. While acknowledging both sides' efforts in helping the Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement further release positive effects, Phea believes bilateral trade will enter a new stage in history, and expects more direct investment from China. "What the Cambodian side hopes the most is that some large Chinese companies will build production plants in Cambodia and expand Cambodia's exports, which will be very meaningful," he said.

In addition, he looked forward to more Chinese tourists, more fruitful results from bilateral economic and trade cooperation, and more solid bilateral friendship and relations.

Photo shows an exterior view of the Industrial Park of Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone in Cambodia. (People's Daily Online/Du Mingming)

Since the cooperation projects under the Belt and Road Initiative were launched, China-Cambodia economic and trade relations have reached a new level. By the end of 2022, Chinese companies had invested more than $10 billion in Cambodia. With the entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP) and the China-Cambodia Free Trade Agreement in 2022, the bilateral trade volume hit $16.02 billion, a year-on-year increase of 17.5 percent.

"Thanks to our joint efforts in Belt and Road cooperation, Cambodia now has highways, ports and new airports, significantly improved traffic conditions, and enjoys better interconnection among regions," he said, adding that tens of thousands of job opportunities have been created in the special economic zones in Sihanoukville and the capital Phnom Penh, improving the lives of the Cambodian people.

The scholar also refuted allegations of a "debt trap," believing these are only attempts to damage China's image and are nothing more than political lies. The Westerners who hype up the "debt trap" claims aimed to intimidate other countries. In fact, it's just a geopolitical tactic, he said.

Photo shows a board with the message "Long live China-Cambodian friendship" written in both Chinese and Cambodian outside a previously poverty-stricken village in Takeo Province of Cambodia. Thanks to a poverty alleviation program initiated by both countries, the village has gradually blazed a trail to prosperity. (People's Daily Online/Du Mingming)

Phea noted that Cambodia has not experienced any "debt traps" in the Belt and Road cooperation. "According to data from Cambodia's foreign loan management agencies, Cambodia's loans in public investment do not come only from China. Cambodia's loans from foreign countries are within its repayment capacity. And when seeking loans, Cambodia always makes an assessment on whether it has the capacity to pay back the funds,” he said.

Moreover, Phea called for efforts from both countries to further promote people-to-people bonds, and hoped for more in-depth exchanges, such as academic seminars, to let the two peoples, especially the younger generation, better understand the significance of the bilateral relationship. He suggested that both countries strengthen media cooperation to better demonstrate the profound friendship between the two countries.