Phnom Penh (FN), Oct. 12 – China has extended USD 140 worth of grant aids on Cambodia’s urgent development projects, according to a Facebook page of Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong, Co-chair of Cambodia-China Intergovernmental Coordination Committee.

Landed in Phnom Penh in the evening of 11 October, Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi met with Hor Namhong on Sunday evening at Sofitel Hotel Phnom Penh.

During the meeting, the Chinese side announced the grant aids worth of USD 140 million to implement Cambodia’s top priority projects in 2020. The two sides will sign agreements on establishing undersea fiber-optic communications cable connecting Sihanoukville-Hong Kong; constructing national road 71C; rural power transmission line phase VII; rice productions and exports project.

The projects that are being prepared include building irrigation and flood protection system of Stung Prek Tnoat; expanding and upgrading national road 41, 33 and 31.

According to Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong, Cambodia has requested the Chinese side to solve the remaining issues so that Cambodia could export 400,000 tons of rice to China.

During the first half of 2020, Cambodia has exported almost 150,000 tons of rice to China, which nearly reached 400,000 tons, according to Cambodia Rice Federation President Song Saran.

The Chinese side also agreed to import more of Cambodia’s agricultural products, including banana, mango, cassava, cashew nut, pepper, durian, sugar, and longan.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated that China and Cambodia have successfully combating COVID19 pandemic, highlighting Prime Minister Hun Sen’s able leadership to achieve victory against the disease.

Minister Wang Yi is currently on the Southeast Asia tour to Cambodia, Malaysia, Laos, and Thailand, and pay a transit visit to Singapore from 11-15 October 2020.

In September 2020, the US moved to counter China’s influence in Southeast Asia with the launch of the new Mekong partnership that offered projects worth at least US$153 million to Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, according to an article published on SCMP.
=FRESH NEWS