Phnom Penh (FN), May 29 - Japan-Cambodia Parliamentary Friendship Association President Masahiro Imamura expressed deep support for peace, political stability, and development in Cambodia; and pledged to encourage more Japanese investors to the kingdom to further promote Cambodia's economic development, speaking in a lunch meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Wednesday.
Masahiro Imamura expressed warm welcome to the presence of Prime Minister Hun Sen and his delegation in Japan. He also highlighted the close relationship between Japan and Cambodia.
"Cambodia has a strong economic growth of seven percent per annum. I hope Cambodia will further develop. The equal distribution of growth to people will help ensure political stability," delegate minister Kao Kim Hourn quoted Masahiro Imamura.
Members of the association acknowledged that Cambodia has favorable investment climate, including situated at the center of ASEAN, enriched labor force, peace and political stability.
In response, Prime Minister Hun Sen thanked the Japanese side for supporting Cambodia's development and for understand the real context of Cambodia.
It is worth noting that Cambodia and Japan established diplomatic relations on 9 January 1953. Cambodia-Japan relations have improved steadily and become a strategic partnership in December 2013.
In 2018, Cambodia and Japan celebrated the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations by exchanging visits of both leaders, and holding joint cultural programs.
So far, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has visited Japan 22 times, including four official visits in 2007, 2013, 2015 and 2017. In 2018, the Premier attended the 10th Mekong-Japan Summit, which took place from 8-9 October 2018.
Cambodia, in return, welcomed the officials of four Japanese Prime Ministers, including Former Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi on 10-11 November 2000; Former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi attended the ASEAN Summit in November 2002; Former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda participated in the ASEAN Summit in November 2012; and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe paid an official visit to Cambodia on 16-17 November 2013.
Between 1992 and 2018, Japan provided the equivalent of more than $2.8 billion in Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Cambodia – about 15 percent of total financing by all development partners. Japan has supported major infrastructure projects – building the Kizuna Bridge and the Tsubasa Bridge, improving National Roads No. 1 and 5, developing a new container terminal at Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, and improving flood protection and drainage in Phnom Penh.
=FRESH NEWS
