Column: China's BRI is vibrant, living proof of Cambodia-China win-win cooperation

by Kin Phea

PHNOM PENH, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) mega-projects such as the Sihanoukville Special Economy Zone (SSEZ), Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway and Siem Reap Angkor International Airport have played a crucial role in fueling economy, trade, investment and tourism as well as in alleviating poverty in Cambodia.

These BRI flagship projects are the vibrant, living proof of Cambodia-China win-win cooperation for mutual benefit.

The BRI has moved beyond concepts to deliver concrete, life-changing infrastructure in the Southeast Asian country.

The SSEZ is a prime example of "industrial synergy." It is not just a zone; it is a catalyst for job creation, skills transfer, and a powerful engine for Cambodia's industrialization.

According to the zone operator, the SSEZ has currently hosted more than 200 enterprises, creating tens of thousands of jobs and turning Cambodia's southern coast into a vibrant manufacturing hub.

The Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway has been a vital artery for Cambodia's economy, and the new Siem Reap Angkor International Airport has been a gateway for international tourists to the UNESCO-listed Angkor Archaeological Park and for cultural exchanges.

Cambodia has also greatly benefited from BRI investment projects in the energy sector such as hydropower plants, as well as large-scale river bridges and national roads.

All of these projects have offered tremendous benefits primarily through infrastructure development, enhanced economic competitiveness, job creation, skill and technological transfer, and improved connectivity to regional and global markets.

Moreover, they have helped Cambodia reduce logistics costs and move up the value chain in global trade, advancing its economic aspirations of becoming an upper-middle-income country by 2030 and a high-income country by 2050.

Touching on the relations between Cambodia and China, I would proudly say that the ties are "deeply rooted," have withstood the test of time and global changes, and have emerged even stronger.

The current Cambodia-China ironclad friendship is "unbreakable," serving as a role model for international cooperation.

It is important to protect it, nurture it, and most importantly, to tell its true story -- a story of solidarity, mutual respect and support, mutual benefit, win-win cooperation, common development and shared prosperity.

In conclusion, the BRI, together with other Chinese global initiatives such as the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative, has injected vigorous impetus into bilateral efforts to build an all-weather Cambodia-China community with a shared future in the new era.

Editor's note: Kin Phea is director general of the International Relations Institute of Cambodia, a think tank under the Royal Academy of Cambodia.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Xinhua News Agency.