Then Prince Sihanouk and Premier Chou En Lai
Hun Sen and Hu JintaoAsiaNews.it
Economic activity between the two countries is being stepped up in the sectors of trade, industry, and tourism. China also offers military assistance, while the percentage of students studying Mandarin is increasing. But the Chinese influence is also bringing corruption and the exploitation of manual labour.
Phnom Penh (AsiaNews) - Chinese influence is growing in Cambodia: the Asian giant, thirsty for energy and raw materials, and interested in extending its influence in the region, is stepping forward as the country's leading investor and trade partner. This influence is not limited to trade and industry, but extends to the social and cultural level, since the Chinese language has become an essential point of reference in the business world, surpassing even the monopoly held until now by English.
Relations between the two countries date back to the end of the 1950's, and were reinforced two decades later during the bloody regime of the Maoist dictator Pol Pot, actively supported by China, in spite of the genocide of the Khmer people, which caused the death of more than one million Cambodians in less than five years. Sources for the Chinese News Agency say that China is one of Cambodia's main trade partners, thanks to the 3,016 Chinese businesses operating in the territory, which produced 1.58 billion dollars at the end of 2007. Last year, bilateral trade grew by 30% compared to 2006, for a total volume of investments of 730 million dollars. This support is not limited to economic exchange, but is also reflected in the country's defence system: China is providing military assistance to Cambodia, strengthening its marine fleet with nine patrol boats in 2007, and five warships in 2005.
But there is another side to the Chinese presence: human rights and anti-corruption activists denounce an exponential growth in illegal logging, land-grabbing, and worker exploitation, and a dizzying increase in corruption levels. According to Simon Taylor, director of the international group Global Witness, "the effect of lots of money coming in with few strings attached, going to a lot of people in the government, is generally exacerbating corruption".
In the meantime, the Cambodian government has approved the construction of two hydroelectric power plants, to be built by Chinese companies. Work will begin by the end of 2008. The project is opposed by environmentalists, who denounce "serious damage to the country's ecosystem, and risks to the lives of thousands of people". The dams will be constructed in the province of Koh Kong, in the southwest of the country. The project will bring an investment of 540 million dollars from the China National Heavy Machinery Corp., and 495.7 million dollars from the Michelle Corp. It is expected to produce 338 megawatts of electricity.
Investments from Chinese companies are also prompting students in the country to study Mandarin over English (which nevertheless remains the most widespread foreign language), because it is becoming indispensable for business: it represents a fundamental resource for finding a better position in the professional arena, in the sectors of industry and tourism. The most important Chinese school in Cambodia is the Duan Hoa Chinese School in Phnom Penh, subdivided into two different sectors with more than 7,000 enrolled students; the second, the Chhung Cheng Chinese School, is fairly popular among Chinese-Khmer families, and numbers about 2,000 students. The government, finally, expects to add Chinese to the obligatory curriculum of its universities.
Phnom Penh (AsiaNews) - Chinese influence is growing in Cambodia: the Asian giant, thirsty for energy and raw materials, and interested in extending its influence in the region, is stepping forward as the country's leading investor and trade partner. This influence is not limited to trade and industry, but extends to the social and cultural level, since the Chinese language has become an essential point of reference in the business world, surpassing even the monopoly held until now by English.
Relations between the two countries date back to the end of the 1950's, and were reinforced two decades later during the bloody regime of the Maoist dictator Pol Pot, actively supported by China, in spite of the genocide of the Khmer people, which caused the death of more than one million Cambodians in less than five years. Sources for the Chinese News Agency say that China is one of Cambodia's main trade partners, thanks to the 3,016 Chinese businesses operating in the territory, which produced 1.58 billion dollars at the end of 2007. Last year, bilateral trade grew by 30% compared to 2006, for a total volume of investments of 730 million dollars. This support is not limited to economic exchange, but is also reflected in the country's defence system: China is providing military assistance to Cambodia, strengthening its marine fleet with nine patrol boats in 2007, and five warships in 2005.
But there is another side to the Chinese presence: human rights and anti-corruption activists denounce an exponential growth in illegal logging, land-grabbing, and worker exploitation, and a dizzying increase in corruption levels. According to Simon Taylor, director of the international group Global Witness, "the effect of lots of money coming in with few strings attached, going to a lot of people in the government, is generally exacerbating corruption".
In the meantime, the Cambodian government has approved the construction of two hydroelectric power plants, to be built by Chinese companies. Work will begin by the end of 2008. The project is opposed by environmentalists, who denounce "serious damage to the country's ecosystem, and risks to the lives of thousands of people". The dams will be constructed in the province of Koh Kong, in the southwest of the country. The project will bring an investment of 540 million dollars from the China National Heavy Machinery Corp., and 495.7 million dollars from the Michelle Corp. It is expected to produce 338 megawatts of electricity.
Investments from Chinese companies are also prompting students in the country to study Mandarin over English (which nevertheless remains the most widespread foreign language), because it is becoming indispensable for business: it represents a fundamental resource for finding a better position in the professional arena, in the sectors of industry and tourism. The most important Chinese school in Cambodia is the Duan Hoa Chinese School in Phnom Penh, subdivided into two different sectors with more than 7,000 enrolled students; the second, the Chhung Cheng Chinese School, is fairly popular among Chinese-Khmer families, and numbers about 2,000 students. The government, finally, expects to add Chinese to the obligatory curriculum of its universities.
9 comments:
Their fathers are HO+MAO who killed 2000 OOO khmers.
When I was with Viet Cong,after 18 03 1970 ,China teach me this song:
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=Us-TxsDqYxQ&feature=related
Relation with China it's kind of rought drive compared to the western World but good for Cambodin Nation to the future. Go !.. Mr. Hun Go!.
May god bless the King Ta!
i don't blame cambodia. we feel like the USA was abandoning us. what is the USA afraid of? why don't the USA court cambodia the way china courted cambodia? that's what you get when there was a void in cambodia; so china was the only super power out there who courted cambodia all along. who is stopping the USA from doing the same thing? why the USA waited for so long already. i'm sure cambodia can be an ally of the USA as well, but it was the USA's fault because the USA did not want cambodia in the first place. why?can someone explains this here? thanks.
Exactly, if the USA cares and wants Cambodian within it brace they should have done more already. Since the end of war in Cambodia from the 90s when there was democratic system started the USA especially the higher rank of its government never set foot in Cambodia. Look at Afganistan and Iraq there were Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense and Vice President have visited these places to sprout up the support of democracy but still not improve. If USA have done the same in thing Cambodia I would believe HUN SEN wouldn't be this bad. And right now instead of moving toward free, fair and just HUN SEN is tighting his grib to power more and more. Where is the US influence in Cambodia? The USA should have done more before it is too late. Look at it now, like you said Cambodia is looking toward China because have thrown alot of money into Cambodia and it is next door. I think USA should have done more thats all. Love to all Khmer.
Most corrupted people in Cambodia is closely tied to the US, not China.
By now Cambodia should export corruption not import it.
We should put this renewable resource on the CamEx.
Hun Sen.
11:49PM. You are too dumb about what happened to Cambodia. If Sihanouk went along with the US, may be at least 6 to 7 milions be dead no place to bury.
I tell you that most of Cambodians are darn stupid, and they thought the US would save them. Yeah the US would use Cambodia as a pawn to fight Communists, then Communists and the US would shit all over in Cambodia. This King has done too much for his country, but some son and daughter of whore and bitches never see it.
why hun sen look scared? I don't understand???????
oh, wait: he's afraid he upsets his boss in hanoi. don't worry, boy, we got your back.....way back.
chan,
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