Phnom Penh could become business hub in Indochina and ASEAN, says Ambassador Wang
Phnom Penh could become business hub in Indochina and ASEAN, says Ambassador Wang
The newly appointed Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wenbin said that Phnom Penh could become a business centre and energy hub in Indochina and ASEAN in the future due to the development of this city is growing rapidly.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony of ‘Xi Jinping Boulevard’ on July 19 in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol, First Vice President of the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), Ambassador Wang said that he has visited Cambodia many times already and every time he came, he was very impressed with the rapid development with the Cambodian economy and society and the image of the city (Phnom Penh) changing from day to day.
He said he clearly felt the expectations and confidence of the Cambodian people for a better future.
“If we travel along Xi Jinping Boulevard, we will see big buildings stand out and see a better and brighter future for Phnom Penh. I believe that in the future Phnom Penh will be an important business centre in the Indochina Peninsula and Southeast Asia with full of vibrancy and energy,” Ambassador Wang said.
China-Cambodia friendship has a long history, deep roots and China-Cambodia ironclad friendship has become a model of international relations.
“As the new Ambassador to Cambodia, I look forward to cooperating with friends from all parts of both countries, strictly implementing the consensus between the leaders of the two countries in all fields, and promoting ironclad friendship of China and Cambodia,” Ambassador Wang added.
Speaking to Khmer Times on Wednesday, Dr Chey Tech, a socio-economic researcher, said that the remarks of the new Chinese ambassador refer to recent developments in Cambodia and Cambodia’s geographical location related to the development of infrastructure under the auspices of the Chinese government, particularly in relation to the ‘One Belt and Road’ project, with the support of other development partners, especially local connections such as highways and expressways.
On the other hand, in terms of geographical factors, Cambodia is located in the centre of Southeast Asia in the ASEAN region. Thus, Cambodia has the potential to attract investment and exports to the region and the world.
“The goal of turning Phnom Penh and Cambodia into a major hub in the Indochina Peninsula as well as in the ASEAN region requires time and effort of the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) because the government still faces many challenges related to logistics, transportation, cost of electricity, taxes, trade facilitation, business registration, corruption and governance that need further improvement,” Dr Tech underlined.
