China, Cambodia Get Closer

PHNOM PENH - China's Yunnan province expanded economic cooperation with Cambodia in fields ranging from real estate to hydropower plant and electricity transmissi­­­­­on network under new agreements signed here on Apr. 7.

   These agreements were signed in the presence of Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An and the governor of China's Yunnan province Qin Guangrong, who led a delegation to visit Cambodia from Apr. 5 to 9.

   Under the real estate-related agreements between the Yunnan Southeast-Asia Economy and Technology Investment Induatrial and the Cambodia’s Shukaku Co, the collaboration seeks to co-develop sites in Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville for tourism and other commercial uses.

   These projects pave the way to developing stronger relations between Yunnan and Cambodia, in areas such as agriculture, transport, hydropower, investment, trade, forestry, tourism and mining, said Qin.

   While in a bid to ease the electricity shortage in Cambodia, due to its estimate 20 percent growth demand in 2006, Chinese companies from Yunnan province also launched two power projects in the Southeast-Asian kingdom; the Stung Atay hydropower plant and an electricity transmission network.

   According to press statements released by the Chinese companies, the Hydropower plant costs 190 million U.S. dollars and can generate 465 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year.

   The statements also revealed that the power transmission networks connecting Phnom Penh, Kbampong Chhnang, Pursat and Battamang will be constructed at the cost of 113 million U.S. dollars.

   To commemorate the signing of these bilateral agreements, the Yunnan provincial government agreed to donate a total of 1 million U.S. dollars worth of fax machines, computers, printers and generators to the Cambodian government in the coming months.

   With more than 20 economic agreements in place by the end of 2006, the volume of trade between two sides are estimated at 30.39 million U.S. dollars, according to a press statement. (Source:  Xinhua, 8 Apr. 2007)