Jul 26, 2006
Deutsche Presse-Agentur
Phnom Penh - Generous no-string's aid, loans, mutual trust and understanding have made China an increasingly important development partner for Cambodia, Prime Minister Hun Sen said Wednesday.
Speaking at a groundbreaking ceremony for a new Chinese-funded bridge in Stung Treng province on the Laotian border, Hun Sen said China's pledge of 600 million dollars in new aid and loans earlier this year was already bearing fruit.
He noted that the economic giant's generosity almost matched that of the 17 Consultative Group (CG) members.
The CG is an annual meeting of the Cambodian government and its development partners, including international donors and UN agencies, where development issues are discussed and donors assess future financing needs and under what conditions. China is not a member.
The Chinese pledge was made during a visit by Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao in April. It fell just 1 million dollars short of the total pledges made by the CG in March.
'China and Cambodia know each other very well. I don't ask China for money for weapons. I just ask for steel to build bridges. We don't need weapons, we don't need war,' Hun Sen told the crowd in a speech broadcast on national radio.
Cambodia, which is preparing to drill lucrative new offshore oil and gas deposits by the end of the year, has been steadfastly courting China in a bid to boost development and strengthen its own economy as well as lessen its dependence on more traditional Western sources of aid.
Hun Sen said that Chinese funding was fueling key development projects at present, including the giant hydroelectric dam project in eastern Kampot province - the largest project in the country, according to Hun Sen.
'China helps without any conditions,' he said, in an apparent dig at other donors who have attached strong conditions for monies to the aid-dependent Cambodian government or threatened to slash funds.
Those conditions at the March CG meeting in Phnom Penh included demands to root out what some donors have called endemic corruption as well as drastic poverty reduction by 2015 and a fast-tracked reform of the judicial system.
'China does not need to speak at the Consultative Group (CG) meeting about money,' added Hun Sen.
The Cambodian government has often come under harsh and embarrassing public attack during CG meetings and some economic analysts have speculated that it appears to be exploring ways to lessen its dependence on traditional sources of foreign aid, including Western government donations and soft loans.
Aid currently makes up the bulk of the Cambodian government's annual budget.
Speaking at a groundbreaking ceremony for a new Chinese-funded bridge in Stung Treng province on the Laotian border, Hun Sen said China's pledge of 600 million dollars in new aid and loans earlier this year was already bearing fruit.
He noted that the economic giant's generosity almost matched that of the 17 Consultative Group (CG) members.
The CG is an annual meeting of the Cambodian government and its development partners, including international donors and UN agencies, where development issues are discussed and donors assess future financing needs and under what conditions. China is not a member.
The Chinese pledge was made during a visit by Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao in April. It fell just 1 million dollars short of the total pledges made by the CG in March.
'China and Cambodia know each other very well. I don't ask China for money for weapons. I just ask for steel to build bridges. We don't need weapons, we don't need war,' Hun Sen told the crowd in a speech broadcast on national radio.
Cambodia, which is preparing to drill lucrative new offshore oil and gas deposits by the end of the year, has been steadfastly courting China in a bid to boost development and strengthen its own economy as well as lessen its dependence on more traditional Western sources of aid.
Hun Sen said that Chinese funding was fueling key development projects at present, including the giant hydroelectric dam project in eastern Kampot province - the largest project in the country, according to Hun Sen.
'China helps without any conditions,' he said, in an apparent dig at other donors who have attached strong conditions for monies to the aid-dependent Cambodian government or threatened to slash funds.
Those conditions at the March CG meeting in Phnom Penh included demands to root out what some donors have called endemic corruption as well as drastic poverty reduction by 2015 and a fast-tracked reform of the judicial system.
'China does not need to speak at the Consultative Group (CG) meeting about money,' added Hun Sen.
The Cambodian government has often come under harsh and embarrassing public attack during CG meetings and some economic analysts have speculated that it appears to be exploring ways to lessen its dependence on traditional sources of foreign aid, including Western government donations and soft loans.
Aid currently makes up the bulk of the Cambodian government's annual budget.
4 comments:
Mr. Hun Sen,
You can test the China's no-string-attached aid and loans by simply recognizing Taiwan as another country totally independent from the mainland China. You can then wait and see what the China's reactions would be. Do you have enough courage to take China to the test? Otherwise shut up your stinky mouth on the naive notion of the no-string-attached aid policy of China.
Wow, great! the prime minister ! you received alot of no- string-attached aid from China, do you think that your governemnt now received more no-string-attached aid from China more than the Khmer Rouge regime recieved? If so, you are more cruel than Khmer Rouge leaders, and Khmer people are more sufferred than in Khmer Rouge regime.
Mr. prime minister, remember King Sihanouk in 1960's. He had 10 industrial plans, paper, clothing,.. they were built, operated under Chinese assistances.. He was so prounded just like you.. Less than 10 years later they were all wiped out including innocence civilians.... Please read Khmer history again and again. We are coming back to the 60's now. This bomb will explode in less than 10 years...
Who said stupid Cambodian leaders are not good for business? Well, China said so! And stupid Cambodian leaders used Cambodian people as commodity exchange for building bridge,business loan,and aids! All the Chinese are asking for in return is Cambodian woman virginity!ahahahahah
How could Cambodian leaders be so stupid and not to see it!
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