In May 2024, Cambodia will name a road “Xi Jinping Boulevard” to honor the Chinese President’s contributions to its development. Prime Minister Hun Manet emphasized the strengthened bilateral relations, particularly through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Key projects and trade agreements have bolstered Cambodia’s economy, aiming for ambitious income targets by 2030 and 2050.

In May 2024, a road in Phnom Penh will be named “Xi Jinping Boulevard” by the Royal Government of Cambodia in recognition of President Xi Jinping’s significant contributions to the nation’s progress. This decision echoes a similar honor bestowed by the late King Father Sihanouk in 1965, when he named a road after Chairman Mao Zedong.

During the naming ceremony, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet emphasized that under the leadership of Xi and Cambodian officials, bilateral relations have reached unparalleled heights. The China-Cambodia comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, established in 2013, has strengthened with effective collaboration across diverse sectors, largely fueled by the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) launched by Xi.

Cambodia has been a participant in the Belt and Road Initiative, which aligns with its historical position along the ancient Maritime Silk Road. Cambodian leaders have actively engaged in all three editions of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held in China in recent years.

Significant achievements from key BRI projects include the Sihanoukville Special Economy Zone (SSEZ), which has attracted over 200 international enterprises, generating 32,000 jobs. Additionally, the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway has significantly cut the travel time between the two cities, while the Siem Reap Angkor International Airport has bolstered tourism by managing 17 routes by the end of last year.

Neak Chandarith, director of the Cambodia 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Research Center, noted, “The SSEZ, along with other flagship BRI projects, has played a crucial role in helping Cambodia achieve its ambitious targets of becoming an upper-middle-income country by 2030 and a high-income nation by 2050.”

Bilateral trade has flourished, with China remaining Cambodia’s largest foreign investor and trading partner for several consecutive years. Recent data indicate that bilateral trade has nearly quadrupled over the past decade, facilitated by agreements such as the Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which have bolstered Cambodian exports of rice, bananas, longans, and Basa fish to China.

President Xi advocates for a comprehensive collaboration approach, underscored by the bilateral “Diamond Hexagon” cooperation framework. This framework encompasses six key areas: politics, production capacity, agriculture, energy, security, and people-to-people exchanges. These initiatives are aimed at cultivating a high-quality, high-standard, and prosperous Cambodia-China community with a shared future, as pledged by the leaders of both nations, commented Thong Mengdavid from the Institute for International Studies and Public Policy.

The decision to name a road after Xi Jinping signals the strengthening of Cambodia-China relations, reflecting historical ties and recent collaborations under the Belt and Road Initiative. As Cambodia continues to experience significant economic growth through various development projects, the relationship between the two nations remains crucial for future endeavors. The commitment to a shared future is evident in trade agreements and cooperative frameworks that will drive bilateral progress.

Original Source: english.news.cn

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