Siem Reap’s Soaring Aspirations: Cambodian PM Urges Chinese Investment for Multi-Purpose Development

• 18 November 2023
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In a visionary move to elevate Siem Reap province into a thriving multi-purpose development hub, Prime Minister Samdech Hun Manet extended a warm invitation to Chinese companies, encouraging them to expand their investments beyond the construction of the Siem Reap Angkor International Airport. The Prime Minister expressed this sentiment during a courtesy meeting with HE Wang Yubo, Governor of China’s Yunnan Province, coinciding with the grand inauguration ceremony of Siem Reap Angkor International Airport on 16 November.

Samdech Hun Manet conveyed his gratitude to the three state-owned companies from Yunnan province for their substantial investment in Cambodia, particularly their pivotal role in the US$1.1 billion international airport project. He underscored the strategic significance of Siem Reap evolving into a comprehensive development pole within Cambodia, aligning with the collaborative framework of the “Belt and Road Initiative.”

The “Belt and Road Initiative” has been instrumental in driving major infrastructure projects in Cambodia, including (1) the development of the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone, (2) the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway, (3) the Phnom Penh-Bavet Expressway, and (4) the transformative Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport.

In response, HE Wang Yubo emphasized Yunnan province’s deep commitment to the airport’s development, highlighting its unique position as the first international airport project under the “Belt and Road Initiative” and the maiden airport constructed outside of China by overseas Chinese enterprises, following the “Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT)” model.

 

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